Unrequited
by CharmedBec
Summary: When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It’s about life, love and all of that…
1. Moving In

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **A Chris and Wyatt story; set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The character of Emily does belong to me though, but she can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Don't worry; I'm still working on 'False Memories,' just struggling with a little bit of writer's block at the moment. I hope to have a new chapter posted soon though.

This idea for a new story popped into my head and wouldn't let go however. So I decided to go with the working muse and start writing it. You may notice a few subtle differences in Chris's character in this. This is because this is a Chris, who has grown up with his family around him i.e. no absentee father, no evil brother and a healthy and alive mother. I figured that would change how he turned out, so he's purposely a little bit different from canon Chris.

Hope you like. Please review.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Cursing under her breath, twenty-two year old Emily Hargreaves struggled up the staircase, a full cardboard box balanced precariously on her hip, and another held awkwardly in the crook of her arm. The boxes were heavy and, after two flights of stairs, she was beginning to think that attempting to carry them both at once mightn't have been such a good idea. They were the last two though and she was impatient to get started with her unpacking.

Just then, she heard footsteps ascending the stairs behind her and immediately quickened her pace, conscious that she was causing an obstruction. Focusing on the way ahead, she failed to notice the puddle of spilt soda on the step in front of her, and so was oblivious to the danger until it was too late.

Everything happened at once - her sneaker-clad foot slipped out from under her and she toppled backwards with a gasp of horror, the cardboard boxes showering their contents back down the narrow staircase. Luckily, a pair of strong arms broke her fall before she could do any real damage to herself and she almost fainted with relief.

"Whoa! That could've been nasty," her mystery saviour said, voicing her own thoughts in her ear as he set her upright again.

Her heart still thumping erratically with shock, Emily turned to look at her rescuer and found herself staring up into a pair of striking green eyes. For a brief moment, she lost the ability to think, before she was startled out of her reverie by an indignant exclamation from behind.

"You klutz! Look what you did to my top!"

Emily whirled around to discover that the shrill voice belonged to a stunningly beautiful woman of about her own age. The girl's skin was flawless, her long, chestnut-coloured hair styled to perfection, and her huge brown eyes subtly made-up to enhance their already hypnotic appeal. She was dressed in a pair of ultra-fashionable dark-blue jeans and a simple white top - which was now stained red by what Emily could only presume, was her cinnamon and red-rose scented bath oil.

"I'm sorry…"

"Yeah well, so you should be. It cost two hundred dollars."

"Bianca, give her a break. It was an accident," Emily's rescuer cut in, a hint of reprimand in his tone.

The attractive girl glared at her boyfriend for a second and then stalked off upstairs, muttering something about putting her blouse into soak before it was completely ruined. Wanting to get out of the awkward situation as soon as possible, Emily bent down and quickly began to gather up her spilled possessions.

All in all, it had been a long day. Emily was tired, stressed and in desperate need of some R&R. To her shame, she felt tears pricking at the back of her eyelids and she ducked her head to hide them, embarrassed by her emotional reaction. A warm hand closed around her wrist then, halting her frantic movements in their tracks. Not knowing what to expect, she looked uncertainly up into her rescuer's face, her expression wary.

"Don't worry about it," he quietly reassured her, his gaze steady and calming.

"But your girlfriend…"

"Bianca can be a bit highly-strung at times but she'll get over it."

Emily looked at him sceptically. "You sure about that?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Of course I'm sure," the young man replied with a warm grin. "It's only a top after all."

"A two hundred dollar designer top," Emily reminded him.

"Yeah well, if you ask me, it wasn't worth the money," the mystery guy said, bending down and effortlessly picking up one of her boxes.

"So - I take it you're the girl who's moving into apartment 10?" he asked as he started up the stairs ahead of her.

"Yeah, that's me," Emily replied, following him up the few remaining steps and down the corridor to her apartment. She let herself in, dumped the box of her possessions on the floor, and turned around to face him.

"I'm Emily – Emily Hargreaves," she introduced herself with a little wave of her hand.

"Chris Halliwell," he returned, teasingly copying her hand gesture as he placed the box he was carrying on the table near the door. "Me and my brother Wyatt live in apartment 12 right above you."

Emily's cobalt-blue eyes widened at the names. It couldn't be, surely? "You mean – _the_ Wyatt and Chris Halliwell?" she asked before she could stop herself.

Chris tensed, suddenly on guard. He looked at her searchingly and she shivered under the intense gaze. It was as if he was looking directly into her very soul. "You're a witch," he said flatly, his expression shuttered and suddenly unfriendly.

"So they tell me," Emily said uncertainly, unnerved by his abrupt change in attitude towards her. Was being a witch such a crime?

"I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed," he said, his voice hard and accusatory.

All of a sudden, Emily understood his hostility - he thought she was a glory hunter. She'd heard of the people who tried to ingratiate themselves into the Halliwell brother's lives just for the prestige it gave them. It wasn't her style though, but she had no clue of how to convince Chris of that. For want of a better idea, she tried humour.

"What? You mean you don't breathe fire and obliterate people with a blink of your eye? How lame is that?"

Chris stared at her, open-mouthed, for a second and then laughed, much to Emily's intense relief.

"No - Wyatt only does the blinking eye thing on demons," he replied, his voice returning to its earlier relaxed tone. He'd obviously decided to give her a chance. "And breathing fire isn't one of our talents, so I guess we are kind of lame at that."

Lame wasn't quite what Emily would call it – she'd only been joking about the blinking eye thing! Still, she was glad that the awkward moment had been smoothed over. Moving to San Francisco was her big, solo adventure, and the last thing she needed was to start off on the wrong foot with her new neighbours, especially when her friends and family were all so far away.

"Damn, what an anti-climax," she said in mock disappointment, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Chris threw her a lop-sided grin and then turned to go. "Well, I'll leave you to it," he said, waving his hand at the clutter of boxes that littered her living room floor. "Hope it doesn't take you too long to get settled in. I'll see you around, yeah?"

"Sure. Oh and thanks for preventing me from breaking my neck by the way."

"No problem – glad to be of service," Chris said over his shoulder as he strode away down the corridor.

Emily leaned against the doorframe and watched him go, waiting until he turned the corner and disappeared out of sight before retreating back into her apartment and closing the door.

As she surveyed the scale of the task facing her, her heart sank - it was going to take her days to get her belongings sorted into some kind of order. Standing around wasn't going to get the job done though, so, drawing in a deep breath, she tucked her wavy hair behind her ears and set to work.

* * *

Four hours later, Emily had unpacked and put away all her essential possessions and cleared the living room free of the remaining boxes of her things, stacking them neatly in the guest room out of the way. Her stomach was starting to grumble from the lack of sustenance though, so she decided to leave the rest of the unpacking until tomorrow, and go out in search of some food. 

Having taken a quick, invigorating shower, she left her new apartment dressed casually in her favourite jeans, a turquoise wrap-around top, and a pair of low-heeled sandals. She'd tied her glossy, shoulder-length, red hair back into a neat ponytail, but left a few strands free to frame her face and stop the style from looking too severe.

The apartment block appeared deserted as she made her way down the stairs and out the building via the back entrance. The pretty, communal garden she stepped out into was one of the features that had attracted her to this particular apartment block. The design was well thought out and she'd fallen in love with it on first sight. It was a mini-oasis of peace in the midst of a bustling city, a perfect location to relax and curl up with a good book, as well as an ideal place to socialise with its outdoor swimming pool and barbeque area.

"Hello again," a voice came from behind her. "How's the unpacking going?"

Emily turned to see Chris walking down the path with a jug of what looked like fruit punch in one hand and a round cake-tin in the other. He stopped as he came up alongside her and politely waited for her answer to his question.

"Oh, not too bad – I've given up for the day now though. Is there a grocery store or something nearby? Somehow I don't think half a carton of orange juice is going to last me very long."

"There's one a block over," Chris replied. "Just turn right at the end of the street. Why don't you join us for dinner though? We're having a barbeque and there's plenty of food to go round. We always make far too much."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude."

"You won't be – it's just me and Wyatt. We don't bite, I promise, despite what you may have heard to the contrary."

Emily decided to go for it. After all, she'd come to San Francisco because she wanted to expand her horizons, both magical and otherwise. She'd be crazy to pass up the opportunity of dinner with Wyatt and Chris Halliwell therefore.

"All right," she agreed. "As long as you're sure it's okay."

"It's fine. Come on – we're over here."

Emily followed Chris down the shaded path towards the pool. A table stood near to the brick-built barbeque and she could see the platters of food laid out upon it.

"Chris – did you bring any lighter fuel?" a disembodied voice asked. As Emily drew closer, she could just make out the figure crouched down behind the barbeque.

"It should be in the box with the matches."

The man stood up and Emily found herself face to face with Wyatt Halliwell, the most powerful source of good magic that had ever existed. She wasn't entirely sure what she'd been expecting – a long crooked staff and flowing robes maybe? However, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, he just looked like any other young man in his mid-twenties.

Unlike his brother, who had a certain quirkiness about him, Wyatt was the archetypical idea of good looking – tall and blonde, muscular also, but without looking too much like an over-developed body-builder. Being a witch herself and sensitive to such things, Emily was aware of the aura of power that lay just beneath the surface in him, but she didn't find it oppressive or threatening in any way.

"Emily – Wyatt. Wyatt – Emily," Chris succinctly introduced them.

Emily nodded and smiled shyly in greeting. "Hi!"

"Emily…" Wyatt looked puzzled for a moment and then his confused expression cleared. "Oh right - the girl from downstairs – the one who inadvertently dyed Bianca's pristine white top a nice shade of pink."

He grinned at her, his eyes lightly teasing and Emily blushed. _Way to go, Em, get a reputation for being a clumsy oaf, why don't you?_

"I, err… Tell her I'll pay for the damage," Emily said, shooting an apologetic glance at Chris. "I'm sorry, I should have offered earlier."

Despite the fact that a big chunk of her hard-earned savings had gone on the move to San Francisco, she would find the money somehow. She would just have to do without a few things – like decent food - for a while.

Chris though, waved off her offer with a firm, "Forget about it. It wasn't your fault."

"Yeah, I wouldn't worry too much," Wyatt added soothingly. "She'll have forgotten all about it soon enough anyway."

Emily laughed. "How little you understand women," she commented wryly. "I'm not sure I'd forget about it so quickly if someone ruined my two hundred dollar top. Not that I actually own a two hundred dollar top, of course, but still."

"Yeah well, Bianca's got loads of them," Wyatt said. "Daddy's not exactly short on the cash."

"No just short on real affection," Chris added cuttingly. "The obscene clothing allowance is his idea of fatherly love. Wyatt's right though, Emily – I know Bianca was a bit of a bitch to you today, but she won't hold a grudge. She's just not like that."

Emily nodded, and then stood awkwardly by as Wyatt attempted, and failed, to ignite the barbeque coals.

"You know I swear someone has cast a spell on these just to annoy me," he said in exasperation.

"Why don't you just…?" Emily waved her hand in an imitation of a magical gesture.

She stopped then, realising what she'd just said. "I mean, I heard that you can set fire to stuff with your mind," she rushed on, "Which could easily be just hearsay and rumour, of course, meaning that I've probably made a complete fool of myself. Geez Emily - so not the way to make a good impression. And I'm going to shut up now because I'm totally babbling like an idiot, aren't I? Yes? Thought as much."

Chris chuckled at her embarrassed discomfiture and gallantly moved in to rescue her. "He could do that," he said. "But then that would be way too easy. It's so much more fun to keep everyone waiting for food for hours, isn't it Wyatt?"

With a sarcastic tilt of his head, Wyatt crossed his eyes at his grinning sibling in mock annoyance. "My brother's under the impression that he's actually funny," he told Emily conspiratorially. "Such a dreadful shame he never quite pulls it off."

While Emily giggled at their playful banter, the blond witch-whitelighter bent down and struck another match, trying again to light the barbeque. The kindling flared into life, and then immediately went out, much to Wyatt's chagrin and Chris's intense amusement.

"Okay, so I give up," Wyatt declared, tossing the box of matches aside. He flicked his hand at the coals and they were suddenly glowing red and giving off waves of heat.

Emily was stunned. It wasn't what he'd actually done; it was more the casual way in which he did it, as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.

"That's so personal gain," Chris immediately said.

"No it isn't," Wyatt retorted. "I did it so our lovely guest wouldn't faint with hunger; nothing personal gain about that."

"That's semantics and you know it."

"Quite possibly, but it gets me off the hook, doesn't it? Now, hand me those steaks."

As Chris did as his brother asked, Emily approached the table, taking note of the array of food that covered its surface. There were steaks soaked in some kind of marinade; metal skewers threaded with pieces of chicken and chunks of vegetables, skewered king prawns, and various bowls of differently dressed salads. The loaf of bread that Chris was cutting into slices looked to be homemade, and the cake-tin that he'd been carrying earlier contained a rich chocolate cake, which also appeared to be homemade.

Emily was astounded. It was like being in a restaurant. "Okay – so where are the burgers and sausages?" she quipped as Chris handed her a glass of punch.

"Please, our Mom would be disgusted if we ate junk like that," the dark-haired whitelighter said.

Wyatt came over to retrieve more food for the barbeque. "Yeah – she'd have us living back home in a flash," he agreed. "It was hard enough to convince her to let us move out in the first place."

"Our family has certain issues," Chris explained. "Living all together in one house is kind of a tradition."

"But you two needed to spread your wings a bit," Emily conjectured.

"Yeah – Mom took a whole lot of persuading before she agreed to let us find our own place. We were just lucky that Dad understood why we needed some independence. He talked her round in the end."

"And the non-male-in-their-twenties-like food?"

"A by-product of having an ex-chef as a Mom, I suppose."

Emily blinked. "Piper Halliwell used to be a chef?" she asked in amazement, then cringed knowing she sounded like a star-stuck teenager.

"Yeah – shock, horror – she actually has a regular job - along with being a super-witch extraordinaire, of course."

"God, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean…" Emily flustered, her cheeks growing hot with mortification.

"Relax," Chris said, reaching across the table to lay a calming hand on her forearm. "I was only teasing. Sorry, it's a really bad habit of mine."

"I feel so stupid," Emily said, looking down at her feet.

Overhearing the conversation, Wyatt came over and perched on the edge of the table, next to her.

"Look – we have a reputation in magical circles, we get that," he said in a gentle tone. "You don't really know us yet so you're bound to be affected by what you've heard. But that's okay - the only thing we don't like is people who are insincere with it. From what I've seen, that's not the case with you, and I'm pretty sure Chris agrees with me."

He broke off and looked enquiringly over at his brother, who nodded in silent agreement, making Emily feel infinitely better.

"So, it's alright if I act like a total ditz around you then," she ventured with a self-depreciating smile.

Wyatt laughed. "Oh yeah – ditzy women I think we can handle. We grew up surrounded by them, after all. So – you hungry?"

"Starved."

"Good – let's eat then."

The rest of the evening passed without incident, and Emily was reassured to find her new neighbours refreshingly down-to-earth and honest, despite what they were capable of magically. It was easy to see why Wyatt had the destiny he did – he had all the qualities of a great leader, together with an innate ability to put you at ease in an instant.

Chris, on the other hand, was the perfect counterpoint to his older sibling. Emily could see how it would be very easy for Wyatt start believing too much in his own importance, if it were not for his brother's constant presence by his side. Chris was the anchor that kept him real, the pin that burst his bubble so to speak.

The strong ties of affection that clearly existed between the two brothers, and the teasing banter that bounced back and forth between them, served an important purpose. Chris would never be afraid to tell it like it was, and, consequently, Wyatt would always have a moral compass to steer him in the right direction if he ever lost his way.

It was a powerful combination and it obviously worked. The magical community to which they all belonged was starting to change irrevocably, and it was mainly down to these two and the work they – with the help of their extended family - were doing for the greater good.

When Emily had made the decision to move away from her hometown and follow her dream of living in San Francisco, she'd hoped for excitement and adventure but this was something else. Despite knowing she was relocating to the city in which they lived, never in a million years had she thought she would be occupying the same building as the Halliwell brothers. It was totally unreal.

As she fell asleep that night, she wondered how this would change things for her and what the future now held in store…

_**To be continued…**_


	2. An Eventful Night

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The character of Emily does belong to me though, but she can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Chapter 2 of my new Charmed fanfic. A lot of this story will be told from my character Emily's point of view. Nevertheless, you will get to hear from Wyatt and Chris, among others, from time to time too. Hope you like it – please review.

**Re: IcantthinkofaFnick **– I can't fully respond your review at the moment as it will give too much of the plot away! Suffice to say though - Wyatt, Chris - and Emily for that matter - have all been raised to respect the feelings of others and will be true to that throughout, whichever way things turn out.

**

* * *

Chapter 2 **

_**Three weeks later…**_

Emily stood in line next to a small group of her work colleagues, waiting patiently while they queued for admittance into the Club.

She had always been rather directionless career-wise, never really finding her niche, but she was hoping to change all that now that she was living in San Francisco. Needing employment to pay the rent however, she'd taken a clerical job at a small firm selling wedding stationary, while she figured out what she wanted to do with her life.

The other women in the office had quickly taken her under their wing, welcoming her into their little sorority with warmth and honest friendship, something she was extremely grateful for, being alone in a big city as she was. This get-together was their regular monthly social, and Emily's initiation into San Francisco's nightlife.

Earlier that evening, they'd had delicious meal at an elegant restaurant down on the Waterfront, before heading downtown in search of music and dancing. Her new friends had said this was one of the best clubs in the city, and Emily was eager to get inside to see if it lived up to its reputation.

It was certainly popular given the length of the queue to get in; they'd been waiting for ages. Finally, after what seemed like forever, they made it to the front and, once inside, headed straight for the bar to order some drinks.

"Oh, I forget to mention," Lauren said, leaning in close to whisper in Emily's ear. "They've got cute barmen too."

Emily giggled; Lauren was a year or two younger than herself and a self-confessed flirt, although not promiscuous with it, claiming she had far too high standards to settle for just any man. Emily envied the other girl being so comfortable in her own skin, and often wished she had the same inner confidence in herself.

The two women parted to let the man in front of them through with his drinks, and then leaned against the counter, waiting to be served. Emily wasn't paying that much attention to the activity behind the bar, so was startled when she heard a familiar voice ask, "What can I get you?"

"Chris!"

"Hey Emily."

"You work here?"

The dark-haired witch-whitelighter laughed. "Not as a rule, no. Wyatt and I get roped into helping out when someone's sick or on vacation though. My brother has a hot date tonight, so I'm the one who ended up with the short straw."

"Huh?"

"My Mom owns the Club," Chris explained.

"Oh right," Emily said, understanding dawning. _P3 – The Power of Three, of course._ "I wondered why it was called P3, I get it now."

"You do?" Lauren asked puzzled. "What's the significance?"

_Great! Me and my big mouth, _Emily thought, wracking her brain to come up with something that wouldn't require further explanation. Chris, obviously used to the question, replied for her however.

"My Mom's the eldest of three sisters and all their names begin with P – hence 'P3,'" he said, giving Lauren what Emily presumed must be his stock answer to the often-asked question. It was a lie, of course – there had been four Halliwell sisters in all, although admittedly only three Charmed Ones at any one time.

"So, I take it you two know each other?"

"Chris and his brother Wyatt have the apartment above mine," Emily explained to her too-curious-for-her-own-good colleague.

"Oh right," Lauren said, glancing over at her companion with a suggestive twinkle in her eye.

Emily immediately felt herself colour and was profoundly grateful for the dim lighting in the place. Why was she blushing anyway? It wasn't as if she had any hope of attracting either Chris or Wyatt. One already had a steady girlfriend, and the other was probably looking for someone a lot more interesting than a small-town witch, whose power barely equalled that of his little finger.

"So anyway – what can I get you?" Chris asked.

"A date maybe?" Lauren replied, cupping her chin in her hand and boldly fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Emily groaned inwardly, wishing the ground would open up and swallow her. Could this get any more embarrassing? Chris didn't seem at all offended by Lauren's blatant flirtatiousness though.

"Sorry, I'm already taken," he told her smoothly.

Lauren shrugged in mock disappointment. "Ah well, I suppose I'll just have to settle for a vodka-martini then."

Chris grinned. "I guess you will," he replied. "Emily?"

"Erm… what's that?" she said, pointing at a pink-coloured drink being served to a woman alongside her.

"Charmed and Dangerous," Chris told her the name of the cocktail. "It's the house speciality."

"I'll have one of those then."

"Okay – a vodka-martini and one 'Charmed and Dangerous' coming up."

Despite claiming not to work at P3 fulltime, Chris still had the role of bartender down pat. Emily watched in fascination as he mixed up her drink with casual efficiency and poured it into the waiting cocktail glass with a flourish. After Lauren had paid for the drinks, the two of them headed over to rejoin the rest of their group, who had seated themselves on a collection of sofas near the stage.

"So is the brother as hot?" Lauren asked as they weaved their way through the lively throng of people gathered around the bar. "And, more importantly, is he single?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "You have a one track mind, you know that."

Lauren grinned. "You didn't answer my question."

"No, and I'm not going to either."

"Spoilsport," Lauren pouted dramatically, then shot Emily a knowing smile. "Okay girl, I get it, you want to keep them all for yourself. Perfectly understandable, I guess."

"Lauren! Will you stop?"

The other woman laughed at Emily's discomfiture. "Relax – I was just teasing," she said with a wide smile, "Although, if he's blessed with similar genes to his brother, I certainly wouldn't mind meeting Wyatt Halliwell at some point."

"You're incorrigible, you know that?" Emily told her. "Now, do you think we could change the subject?"

The rest of the evening flew by in a whirlwind of conversation, dancing and live music. In no time at all, Emily found herself standing outside of P3 on the sidewalk, waving off her colleagues as they climbed into the back of a duo of taxis.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Lauren asked, leaning out of the open window. "We could take a detour to your place first if you want."

"Lauren, it's in completely the opposite direction. How much is that gonna cost? Relax, I'll be fine. I have hailed a cab on my own before, you know. There'll be another one along in a minute."

"All right, just as long as you're sure."

"I am, now go. I'll see you on Monday, okay?"

"Yeah okay, bye!" Lauren waved madly out of the window as the two yellow taxicabs sped off down the road.

Emily waved after them until they were out of sight, and then walked a little ways up the sidewalk to wait for another cab to arrive. In direct contrast to the noise and bustle of a few minutes before, the street was silent and deserted and Emily shivered, feeling a sharp sense of foreboding. Perhaps not going with the others hadn't been such a wise idea, after all.

Telling herself not to be so silly, she adjusted her purse on her shoulder and wrapped her arms around her middle as she gazed up the road, looking out for an approaching taxi. A sudden noise behind her made her spin around in fright but there was nothing there.

Forcing herself to relax, Emily turned back around, and then gasped out loud, as she was roughly grabbed from behind. A large hand clamped over her mouth, and a menacing voice hissed in her ear, "No screaming, little witch."

Her heart thumping in fear, Emily kicked and struggled like a wildcat as her captor dragged her into the dark alleyway behind. Unable to get free, she bit down savagely on the hand covering her mouth and her attacker released her with a howl of pain. Her relief at getting free was short-lived however, as she quickly realised that he was blocking her way to safety. Not knowing what else to do, she ran in the opposite direction as fast as her legs could carry her.

"There's nowhere to hide, little witch," he called tauntingly after her.

Emily ran blindly on, her terror overwhelming her. As she neared the end of the alley, she saw to her horror that it was a dead-end - there was no escape. To make matters worse, the heel of her shoe got caught in a drainage grate, and she tripped and fell, painfully wrenching her left ankle in the process. She scrambled hurriedly back to her feet, her breath heaving in sharp, panic-filled gasps, but immediately lost her balance again as her sprained ankle gave way beneath her.

"Naughty, naughty, little witch – it's not nice to run away."

Still trying to escape, Emily shuffled backwards on her bottom and flattened herself against the alley wall, her blue eyes wide with terror. As the darkly dressed figure advanced towards her, she saw a glint of metal and noticed the wicked-looking athame that he was carrying. It was only then that she realised that her attacker wasn't human. His hooded coat had concealed his face from view until now, but as he loomed threateningly over her, she finally saw what he looked like.

The demon's features were generally human-like, but his skin was chalky-white and he had a black, swirly motif tattooed across each cheekbone. His eyes were black too, and appeared unfeasibly large because it was impossible to distinguish the outline of the pupil from its surrounding iris. He smiled then, revealing a set of yellowing teeth as he raised the athame to shoulder height, preparing to strike.

Out of the corner of her eye, Emily suddenly caught sight of P3's glowing neon sign and something occurred to her. She was a witch, right? Which meant a whitelighter should respond to her call. At least, she hoped it did anyway.

"Nighty-night, little witch."

Emily opened her mouth and yelled as loudly as she could. "Chris! CHRIS!"

The second his name died on her lips, Chris materialised in a swirl of blue lights, a few feet away. Quickly taking in the situation, he gestured strongly with his hand, catapulting Emily's attacker against the opposite wall as if he was nothing more than a rag-doll. The athame skittered across the tarmac as the demon slumped to the ground with a heavy thud. He was back on his feet in moments however, but after taking one look at Chris, he shimmered out, leaving his weapon behind.

Chris bent and picked up the ritualistic dagger from the ground, then strode over to help a shaken Emily to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I think so."

"Do you know why he was after you?"

Emily shook her head. "No I… I have no idea why a demon would want to bother with me. I'm nothing special, I rarely practise magic."

"It was probably just a random attack then. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, that's all."

"I guess," Emily replied, shakily running her fingers through her glossy mane of red hair.

"Come on – I'll take you home."

"Don't you have to get back?" Emily asked, gesturing at P3 with her thumb.

"No – my shift is pretty much over, they can manage without me for the last half hour," Chris replied, then held out his hand towards her in invitation.

Emily stared dumbly at it, not understanding what he intended. Okay so she was a little shaken up but was it really necessary for him to hold her hand? "You have a girlfriend," she pointedly reminded him, keeping her arms firmly by her sides.

Chris smiled at her confusion. "Emily, I can't orb you home if we don't make some sort of physical contact. Bianca's not going to mind, I promise you."

"Oh," Emily said, flushing with embarrassment at having read too much into the innocent gesture. "I… uhh, I've never orbed before."

"It's nothing to worry about," Chris said gently. "You might feel a little queasy but that'll soon wear off."

"Okay," Emily said, before finally reaching out to take his proffered hand.

As Chris' fingers closed around hers, she experienced a weird, tingling sensation and the alleyway around her suddenly eddied like a mirage. Closing her eyes, she held tightly onto Chris' hand as her body dissolved into thousands of tiny light particles and streamed upwards towards the heavens. She didn't know quite how to describe the strange phenomena. It was as if she was flying through the air at an incredible speed, and then, all of a sudden, her body amalgamated back into one and her feet touched solid ground once more.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed, rendered extremely light-headed by the experience.

"Sit down for a minute," Chris said, ushering her over to a chair. "Just take a few deep breaths and the dizziness will subside."

Emily did as he advised, and gradually her disorientation abated. Opening her eyes, she looked around to find herself in an apartment much like her own, only bigger and differently furnished.

"This is your apartment not mine," she said, stating the obvious.

"Yeah - I came to collect these."

Chris placed the demon's abandoned athame on the low, coffee table that stood in front of the brown, leather sofa, and then showed her a wooden box filled to the brim with white, pyramid shaped crystals.

"Me and Wyatt will check that out tomorrow," he said, waving his hand at the knife. "The crystals will protect you for tonight."

"Protect me?" Emily's eyes widened and her heart fluttered in fear. "You think he'll come after me again?"

"I don't know – probably not, but it's better to be safe than sorry," Chris replied, closing the box and holding out his hand towards her again.

"Umm – do you mind if we walk? The room's only just stopped spinning."

Chris laughed, his green eyes sparkling with amusement. "Sure, I could use the exercise."

_Hardly! _Emily thought to herself as she followed him out into the hallway and down the stairs. In her humble opinion, his butt looked mighty fine in the black jeans that he was wearing. The rest of his body was pretty toned as well, despite him being much lankier than his brother was.

_Stop! _she mentally chastised herself as her thoughts wandered off into forbidden territory.

This was all Lauren's fault, her playful teasing earlier tonight had brought the whole issue to the forefront of Emily's mind, much to her vexation. Of course, she'd noticed that both her new neighbours were decidedly on the cute side, but she hadn't allowed herself to dwell on it too much before now, not wanting to complicate matters with affairs of the heart.

It wasn't like either of them would ever be interested in her anyway. Let's face it, she just didn't move in the same social circles as them. Despite their genuine lack of pretentiousness, sophisticated confident women like Chris's girlfriend, Bianca were the Halliwell brother's type, and she didn't come close to measuring up to that ideal. No, it was a bad idea even to think about the possibility, nothing would ever come of it and she'd only end up getting hurt.

Chris waited patiently as she let them both into her darkened apartment. He then began to place the crystals at various points around the living space, while Emily followed in his wake turning on the lights.

"They act as a kind of demonic warning system," he explained as put the last two in her bedroom, one on the dresser and the other on the windowsill. "If a demon comes near, they'll activate. Just holler for me or Wyatt if that happens, okay?"

"Okay," Emily nodded her head apprehensively.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Chris asked, picking up on her nervousness.

_No._

"Yes, I'll be fine. Really," she added off his sceptical look.

This kind of thing must be a common occurrence for Chris, so Emily wasn't about to let him know that she had only encountered a demon once before, and was therefore completely petrified. She wanted to explore her wiccan heritage more and this came with the territory, so she would just have to get used to it and stop acting like such a wuss.

"Umm – don't you have to put a spell on them?" she asked as the young witch-whitelighter made to leave.

Chris shook his head. "No, they're pre-enchanted. Wyatt and I got fed up with having to activate them all the time, so we came up with a one size fits all spell and permanently infused the crystals with it."

"Handy," Emily commented wryly.

"Yeah, we thought so too. Mom, Auntie Phoebe and Paige were kind of miffed that they didn't think of it themselves actually. Me and Wyatt were just happy that we'd got one over on the older, so-called wiser, generation though."

Emily smiled, her blue eyes dancing in amusement at Chris's self-satisfied tone. "And let me guess – you simply have to rub it in on a regular basis?"

"Why of course. It wouldn't be any fun if we didn't."

Emily laughed. It was hard to imagine anyone treating the legendary Charmed Ones in such a manner, but she supposed it was different if you were family.

Chris grinned back at her and then turned towards the door. "I'll let you know what we find out about the athame," he told her.

Emily nodded. "Okay," she said. "And thanks for tonight – I would have been toast if it hadn't been for you. You're making quite a habit of saving my life, Mr Halliwell."

Chris laughed. "Yeah well, it makes a change that it's me for once. It's usually Wyatt who plays the big hero, being Mr Twice-blessed and all."

"Is that a touch of envy I hear?" Emily queried archly.

"Nah! I have no problem with being the spare – it's less pressure."

"The spare?" Emily asked, confused.

"Yeah, you know – the heir and spare."

"Oh right –I get you."

Chris opened the door and nodded at her in farewell. "Goodnight then," he said.

"Yeah, goodnight."

Emily closed the door behind him, locked and bolted it, and then pulled the chain across. Alone in her apartment, her nerves suddenly overwhelmed her again. What if the demon came back? The crystals were all very well and good, but she would probably have a major freak-out if they actually activated.

She got ready for bed, pulling on a pair of pale green, cotton pyjama bottoms and their matching strappy vest-top, before brushing her teeth and removing her makeup. Climbing into bed and tucking the covers around her, she reached over and turned off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into shadowy gloom. Then, while her heart raced ten to the dozen, she lay still and tense beneath the covers, starting at every creak of the floorboards until she'd worked herself up into a frenzy of fear.

She quickly got to the point where she couldn't stand the oppressive darkness any longer, so sat up and switched the lamp back on, flooding the room with soothing light. Hugging her knees to her chest, she rocked back and forth on her bottom and heels for what seemed like hours, willing herself to calm down.

Eventually though, her eyelids began to droop and she collapsed back against the pillows, overwrought and exhausted, finally falling into a restless sleep about four in the morning. Luckily for Emily, the crystals remained silent and lifeless throughout the rest of the night, allowing her slumber to continue undisturbed.

For now at least anyway…

_**To be continued…**_

_**Next time… Wyatt's back!**_


	3. Breakfast with Wyatt

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The character of Emily does belong to me though, but she can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **As you've probably realised by now, this will be more adult in tone than my other story, False Memories. That's mainly because of the different subject matter i.e. twenty-somethings in love, rather than familial relationships.

The rating is currently T(13+). However, it could stray into M(16+) in places, so I might up the rating at a later date. Although there'll rarely be anything that you wouldn't see/hear on 'Charmed' itself, please do bear that in mind when reading.

Anyway, warning over, would just like to say thanks for all the reviews so far. Answers to specific reviews can be found at the end of the chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

**

* * *

Chapter 3 **

Emily woke late the next morning, fuzzyheaded and gritty-eyed from lack of sleep. She took a long, hot shower to loosen up her aching muscles, before turning the temperature right down to give her body a refreshing blast of cold water to clear her head and waken up her senses. As a result, she emerged from the bathroom feeling a whole lot more like herself, and ready to face whatever the day had in store for her.

Wandering through into the kitchen, she opened the cupboards to find them almost bare. Damn, she had meant to go to the supermarket yesterday and had clean forgotten. Still, there was always 'Frankie's,' a small bakery/coffee shop situated half a block from her apartment. It served an all-you-can-eat brunch until twelve.

The thought of freshly brewed coffee and warm, newly baked muffins certainly appealed right now, so she grabbed her purse and keys, and headed for the door. Striding purposely down the corridor towards the elevator, she ran slap bang into Wyatt, who was walking in the opposite direction.

"Whoa! Where's the fire?" he teased, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

Emily laughed. "Sorry, I was on my way out to Frankie's."

"Hungry huh?"

"Yeah, you could say that. I forgot to go shopping for food yesterday."

"Mind if I join you? I wouldn't mind sampling one of Frankie's apple and cinnamon pastries right now."

"No – you're more than welcome to come along."

"Great!" Wyatt said, falling into step beside her. "Actually, I was on my way to see you. Chris told me what happened last night. He asked me to check if you were okay, said you seemed really shook up by the whole thing."

Emily cringed inwardly; Chris had seen straight through her façade of false courage the previous evening then. "I suppose I was a little freaked out last night but I'm okay now," she assured her companion as the elevator pinged and they stepped inside.

"No repeat occurrences?" Wyatt asked, punching the button for the ground floor.

"No – I guess it was just a one-off."

"Yeah well, I still intend to check it out," the blond witch-whitelighter said firmly. "If there's a demon out there targeting witches, then I need to put a stop to it."

Emily nodded. "Where is Chris anyway?" she asked curiously.

"Out with Bianca," was Wyatt's reply.

"Oh," Emily said, feeling like an idiot for even asking. She should have known. I mean, it was Saturday. Of course, he was out with his girlfriend.

"So, how was the hot date?" she asked, deliberately changing the subject.

"Huh?"

"Chris said that was the reason why he had to do the shift at P3 last night."

"I suppose he failed to mention it was actually his turn?"

Emily smiled at the minor note of complaint in Wyatt's voice. "Why do that when he could blame it on you?" she asked lightly as they exited the elevator and left the apartment block by the front entrance.

"Why indeed?" Wyatt commented wryly. "My little brother just loves to play the martyr."

Emily laughed. "The spare's prerogative, I suppose."

"I'm not following."

"The heir and spare?" she explained, then shrugged. "It was just something Chris said last night."

Wyatt stared at her incredulously. "He actually still looks at it like that?" he asked.

"Err…," Emily baulked at answering, realising she might have inadvertently opened her mouth a little too wide – wide enough to put her foot in it anyway.

Wyatt shook his head in disbelief. "I thought we'd sorted all that out years ago," he said, half to himself. "He _knows_ I couldn't do this without him."

"Look," Emily cut in, trying to smooth things over. "I don't think he was all that serious about it. He was sort of joking around at the time."

Her companion nodded, obviously not entirely convinced. "Sorry, I shouldn't be dumping all our family issues on you," he apologised. "Let's change the subject, shall we?"

"Okay," Emily quickly agreed. "So, you didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

"The hot date?"

"Oh _that_," Wyatt said. A beat, then, "Okay, I guess."

"So, will you be calling her again?" Emily prompted, when he didn't offer any further information.

Wyatt thought on it for a moment. "No, I don't think so. I mean, it wasn't a disaster but…"

"There was no real spark?"

Wyatt cocked his head to one side and raised his eyebrows at her. "Nosey, aren't ya?"

"Yeah – Little Miss Sticky-Beak, that's me," Emily replied airily, utterly unrepentant about prying.

Wyatt threw her an amused sidelong glance. "Not that it's any of your business, but no, there wasn't much chemistry going on," he told her. "Unfortunately," he added as an afterthought.

"Why was she a super hottie or something?"

"You think I'm that shallow?"

"No, I don't," Emily replied, serious now. "I was just wondering why it's such a big deal that the date bombed. I mean, come on, you're Wyatt Halliwell, you must have…"

"Women falling at my feet all the time?" Wyatt finished the sentence for her.

"Well – yeah."

Wyatt looked away, shaking his head. "Maybe I do. The trouble is most of them don't see _me_. All they see is my reputation. Wyatt Halliwell, first-born son of a Charmed One and her whitelighter, the most powerful magical being that ever existed," he intoned, his lips twisting ironically. "There's more to me than that though – a whole lot more."

"I can see that," Emily said sincerely.

"Yes, _you _can," Wyatt said, fixing his blue eyes on her face, "Because you're one of those rare people, who are willing to look past the name to the person inside. There's not many people like you around though, Emily - certainly not in the magical community anyway."

"So look beyond it."

Wyatt let out a short laugh. "I wish it were that easy. That just isn't an option open to me though. I may not like it sometimes, but I still believe in what my family does. I don't want to run away from my destiny, far from it. And I won't lie about who I am, least of all to someone that I love."

Emily nodded in understanding. "That makes sense, I guess. Honesty is the cornerstone of all good relationships."

Wyatt looked at her then, suddenly realising how easily she'd gotten him to open up about himself. "I can't believe I'm actually telling you all of this," he said. "I mean, I hardly know you. I'm not normally so trusting, so quickly. There's just something about you though…" he trailed off, his forehead creasing into a thoughtful frown.

"I've always believed that we're destined to cross paths with certain people in our lives," Emily said contemplatively. "Ever since I was about fifteen, I've felt this incredible pull towards San Francisco. I've _always_ wanted to live here, only it's taken me this long to work up the courage to leave my family and relocate."

"So maybe I was destined to move into the apartment below you and Chris. Maybe we were always meant to meet…" Emily stopped and laughed at herself. "God! Listen to me. I sound crazy, don't I? As if a two-bit witch like me would ever be destined to be part of your life."

"I don't think you sound crazy," Wyatt told her. "My Dad is always telling us that we should trust what our gut is telling us about things - because, more often than not, it's right. My instinct tells me to trust you, and Chris's must too. I mean, he's way more paranoid than I am, and he hasn't once suggested we check your background out."

"Well, you can check it out all you want. It's really not that interesting," Emily replied. "My life so far is not much to write home about, believe me."

"You shouldn't sell yourself so short."

"I'm not. I mean, get this, I'm _supposed_ to have powers, but they don't even work - much to Daddy's relief as it happens."

"How do you mean?"

"Are you sure you want to know?" Emily asked over her shoulder as they reached Frankie's and went inside.

Wyatt nodded as he followed her into the small, friendly coffee shop. "Yeah, I'm sure," he said. "How about we sit down and order some food first though?"

"Works for me - I'm starved."

Ten minutes later, the two of them were safely ensconced in a booth in the corner, mugs of hot, steaming coffee in front of them, and a large platter laden with a myriad of different flavoured croissants, muffins and pastries on the table between them.

"So you were saying?" Wyatt asked, taking a generous bite out of the apple and cinnamon pastry that he'd been hankering after.

Emily cut the warm, breakfast muffin on her plate in half, spread it with butter, and then took a bite out of it as she gathered her thoughts.

"My Mom's the witch," she began slowly. "My Dad – he's mortal and, although he knows what she is, he's not all that comfortable with it. I suppose my Mom toned down her, umm, activities, after they got married. She only uses her powers sparingly and very rarely practises magic anymore. She's never lied to me about my heritage, but she's never encouraged me to explore it either – out of respect for Dad's feelings, I suppose."

Emily paused to take another bite of her muffin and a sip of her coffee. "Don't get me wrong – my Dad's a good man, I don't believe he ever asked her to stop. I guess she just made that sacrifice because she loved him so much."

Wyatt nodded in understanding. "And what about you?"

"To be honest, being a witch wasn't really something I was that interested in until I left High School. When I went to college though, I had the freedom to explore that side of myself. My experimentation wasn't exactly successful however. As I said, my powers don't work and every spell I cast always seemed to have to opposite effect to what I was intending. I bet you and Chris never had that problem."

"Go tell my parents that," Wyatt said with a chuckle. "We've managed to get ourselves into all sorts of scrapes over the years. I think we had Mom and Dad tearing their hair out on many an occasion."

Emily smiled. "Anyway, in the end I gave up trying. It's just that, however hard I pretend otherwise, being a witch is part of who I am. I still want to explore that but I don't know where to start."

"Maybe that's the reason," Wyatt said cryptically.

"The reason for what?"

"Meeting me and Chris," he explained. "I think you need a whitelighter to guide you."

"And you can help me find one?"

Wyatt smiled. "You're sitting right opposite one," he pointed out. "Because we're descended from the Halliwell line, people tend to think of Chris and I as witches. But, our father is an Elder and a former whitelighter, so, ultimately, we're just as much whitelighters as we are witches."

Emily nodded. "I'd never really thought about it like that."

"My wiccan side is probably the stronger of the two," Wyatt admitted. "But, it's the other way round with Chris. He's much more whitelighterish than me."

"Is whitelighterish even a word?" Emily asked with a giggle.

"It is now, I invented it," was Wyatt's quick-as-a-flash reply.

Emily grinned at him, her blue eyes sparkling with mirth. "So you think you can help me?"

"If you want to get involved in what we do, I can easily find you something useful to do. If you're willing to help out, that is."

"I am."

"Good. So tell me what your powers are then."

Emily sighed and tucked her hair behind her ears. "I'm supposed to be telekinetic," she said. "Although, not like Chris. I mean, he slammed that demon against the wall last night as if he weighed nothing more than a feather. I've seen my Mom do it once or twice, and it's more like she floats stuff, rather than throws it."

Wyatt nodded. "Anything else?"

Emily shook her head. "Not really," she said, "At least not anything active anyway. As I understand it, our family have always been potion-makers – we're supposed to have a specific talent for it. I guess the telekinesis is so we don't have to reach things down from the cupboard all the time."

"You know as strange as that sounds, it does make some sort of sense," Wyatt said with a chuckle. "So why do you think your powers don't work?"

"I don't know really," Emily replied. "With the telekinesis, it's like it's blocked somehow. I know I have it because when I try to move something with my mind, I can feel the power building inside. It's there but I just can't do anything with it."

"I'll get Chris to help you with that," the blond witch-whitelighter decided. "He understands how telekinesis works better than I do."

"You don't have it?" Emily asked curiously.

Her companion shook his head. "Not in the pure sense, no."

"I don't understand."

Wyatt looked around, checking that no one was watching them. Then, holding out his hand, palm up, he spoke the word "Athame" in a commanding tone. With a tinkling orb sound and a swirl of blue lights, the ceremonial knife immediately appeared in his outstretched hand.

"Orbing objects doesn't work quite the same as real telekinesis," he explained as he tucked the dagger into his jacket pocket, "Even if the effect is essentially the same."

The sight of the familiar athame sent chills down Emily's spine. "Did you find out anything about the demon?" she asked apprehensively.

Her companion shook his head. "Not yet. I was hoping you could give me a better description of him than Chris did." He gestured at the food in front of them. "You had enough?"

At Emily's affirmative nod, Wyatt called over the waitress and handed her a twenty-dollar bill.

"My treat," he said as she started to search in her bag for her money.

"I can't let you do that," she protested.

"Sure you can," he replied. "Call it payment for services if you like."

"I'm sorry?" Emily looked up at him, shocked.

Wyatt laughed. "I need your help to identify and track down this demon," he explained. "What else did you think I meant?"

Emily blushed. "I think maybe I shouldn't answer that," she said, her cheeks growing hot with embarrassment.

"Contrary to popular opinion, I do not go around seducing every pretty white witch that I lay my eyes on, you know."

"Okay, so can we change the subject please?"

"Why? It was just getting interesting."

"You're not funny, you know that?"

Wyatt shot her a mischievous grin, and then stood up from the table. "Come on, let's go."

Emily followed him outside, not entirely sure whether he'd actually been flirting – did he just say she was pretty? - or just plain teasing her. It was hard to tell to be honest. Her own reaction to the possibility wasn't all that straightforward either.

With her attraction to Chris – which she could no longer pretend didn't exist - it was relatively simple. He had a girlfriend, whom he clearly loved, aka he was out of bounds and recipe for a broken heart if ever there was one.

Wyatt, on the other hand, was good-looking, obviously nice guy, and…beckoning her into a dark alleyway. She cautiously followed him, wrinkling her nose at the rank smell of garbage emanating from the metal dumpster that stood against one wall.

"Sorry, we need to be out of sight," Wyatt said, noting her expression, "Exposing magic in a public place? _So_ not a good idea."

Emily nodded in partial understanding. She saw the need for concealment but what magic was he talking about? She got her answer when Wyatt waved his hand at her, and she was immediately engulfed in the same tingling sensation that she'd experienced the night before, when Chris had orbed her home.

Her surroundings changed and she braced herself, waiting for the dizziness to descend. However, although her head swam a little, the feeling soon passed. She guessed orbing was something that your body got accustomed to fairly quickly.

"I thought you needed physical contact to orb someone other than yourself," she said, remembering what Chris had told her the previous evening.

"My brother does," Wyatt replied. "It works a little differently with me though."

Looking about, Emily found herself in a square room with sloping ceilings, obviously an attic, given the old furniture and boxes of clutter that filled the space. Sunlight streamed in through a stained glass window, casting coloured shadows about the room. A large lectern stood in the centre of the attic, the resting place for an ancient book, whose pages were crinkled and yellowing with age.

"Where are we?" she asked, although she thought she already knew the answer.

Wyatt looked at her and smiled. "Home," he said simply.

_**To be continued…**_

* * *

P.S. I forgot to say – I live in the UK and only have terrestrial TV, which essentially means I haven't seen Season 7 yet. I do have a vague idea of what happens though (can't resist reading the odd spoiler!). However, as Wyatt mentioned above, Leo is still an Elder here. Although, after everything that happened with Gideon, he's not exactly… well, wait and see:-) 

**Re: Martina G: **This is essentially Chris and Wyatt's show. However, because the boys are still very close to their family, the Charmed Ones, and Leo, do make guest appearances from time to time. Actually, one of them was meant to be in this chapter, but Emily and Wyatt's conversation went on longer than I intended, so they've ended up in the next part instead!


	4. Family Revelations

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The character of Emily does belong to me though, but she can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Here's a new chapter for you all :-) Sorry for the slight delay in updating. Real life issues – good ones though. If you read my other story 'False Memories,' you'll know that I became an auntie for the first time last week. My gorgeous little nephew kind of distracted me from my writing for a while.

**Re: the reviews for the last chapter:** Thanks and am glad I've got everyone guessing on the Chris/Emily, Wyatt/Emily issue. That was the intention. It will start to fall into place soon though, I promise, but that isn't the end of the story, not by a long shot…

**Re: IcantthinkofaFnick:** Although Bianca is essentially a secondary character in this story, she will be present a bit more than she has been so far – starting with this chapter in actual fact.

_**

* * *

Last time… **_

Looking about, Emily found herself in a square room with sloping ceilings, obviously an attic, given the old furniture and boxes of clutter that filled the space. Sunlight streamed in through a stained glass window, casting coloured shadows about the room. A large lectern stood in the centre of the attic, the resting place for an ancient book, whose pages were crinkled and yellowing with age.

"Where are we?" she asked, although she thought she already knew the answer.

Wyatt looked at her and smiled. "Home," he said simply.

**Chapter 4**

As Emily gazed about the room with a sense of awe – _the Halliwell Manor – wow!_ - Wyatt strode confidently over to the wooden bookstand, and placed the athame on the frame above the book.

"Okay, let's see what we can find," he said, opening the ancient volume somewhere near the beginning.

Emily crossed to stand next to him as he began to flick through the pages. "Is that what I think it is?" she asked, pointing at the huge tome.

"The Book of Shadows? Yeah," Wyatt replied. "This demon – he's got white skin and black tattoos on his face, right?"

Emily nodded. "Yeah, and his eyes are black too," she added with a shudder.

Wyatt stopped searching through the Book for a moment, and touched her lightly on the back. "Don't worry," he gently reassured her. "We will find _and_ stop him. He won't come near you again, I promise."

"Wyatt? Chris? Is that you?" an unfamiliar voice suddenly echoed from down below, interrupting their quiet conversation.

"Just me, Dad," Wyatt called back.

There was the sound of footsteps on the stairs before a man, who looked to be in his early to mid forties, emerged in the attic doorway. Emily was immediately struck by his uncanny resemblance to the young man standing next to her, but then had to adjust her thinking. It was actually Wyatt, who resembled his father, she realised, not the other way round.

"Well, just me and Emily," Wyatt amended, when his father spotted his female companion and shot him a questioning look. "She lives in the apartment below Chris and me."

"Oh right, I do remember Chris mentioning something about a new neighbour, come to think of it."

"Dad – Emily. Emily – Dad."

Wyatt absently introduced them with a casual wave of his hand, his attention back on the Book of Shadows in front of him. Tucking her hair nervously behind her ears, Emily looked shyly over at the blond Elder.

"Hello, Chris and Wyatt's Dad," she said diffidently.

"Leo – Leo Wyatt," he introduced himself, his calm, measured tone immediately putting her at ease. Chris and Wyatt's relaxed, friendly manner was obviously a character trait that they'd inherited from their father, Emily realised.

"Emily Hargreaves," she replied, returning the Elder's warm, genuine smile with one of her own.

Leo nodded at her, and then switched his attention to his eldest son. "Is there a problem?" he asked in a concerned tone of voice.

"Emily got attacked by a demon last night," Wyatt answered. "It might not be significant, but me and Chris thought we should check it out anyway, just to be on the safe side."

He stopped as an entry in the Book caught his attention. "Is that it?" he asked Emily.

The redheaded young witch peered at the picture he was pointing at and shook her head. "No – the design on his cheeks is wrong."

Wyatt picked up the athame and offered it to his father. "You recognise that?"

Leo turned the knife over in his hands. "It's just an ordinary athame," he concluded. "There are thousands like it. I don't think it has any special significance."

Wyatt nodded, before bending his head over the Book again and starting to leaf through it once more. Emily was fascinated as he turned the pages; she'd never seen anything like it. It was demon catalogue, a spell and potion manual, and in many ways a record of the Halliwell's extraordinary family history.

As Wyatt continued to search for a lead, Emily gradually became aware of Leo's eyes upon her and looked up from her contemplation of the Book to find him gazing openly at her, a thoughtful expression on his handsome face. Seeing that she'd caught him staring, he smiled reassuringly at her.

"Sorry, you just remind me of someone I once knew," he explained. "Only I can't remember who – what did you say your surname was again?"

"Hargreaves."

Leo frowned, trying to work out why she seemed so familiar. The surname just didn't ring a bell. Her face, on the other hand, certainly did.

"It's Emily's Mom, who's the witch," Wyatt told his father then. "What was her name before she married?" he asked of the young woman alongside him.

"Simpson."

It finally came to Leo and his blue-green eyes widened in sudden recognition. "Any relation to Chloe Simpson by any chance?" he asked.

"Yeah, she's my cousin; my Mom's brother's daughter."

"Your cousin?" the Elder frowned and shook his head. "No, she'd be much older than that."

"Chloe's named after my great-grandmother, I think."

Leo smiled. "Yeah, that'd be a whole lot more like it."

Emily struggled to get her head around the concept. Leo barely looked old enough to be Chris and Wyatt's father, never mind someone who knew her great-grandmother.

"He's well preserved," Wyatt quipped, noticing her expression. "True whitelighters, and consequently Elders, do age, only really, really slowly. By rights though, he should be our grandfather, not our father. I guess my Mom has a thing for older men, hey Dad?"

Leo smiled indulgently in response to his son's impudence. "She wasn't the only one," he replied. "But that's another story."

He looked over at Emily then. "Chloe was one of my charges for a while," he explained his connection to her family. "I was pretty inexperienced as a whitelighter in those days though. She was assigned to someone else when she came properly into her powers."

"She was pretty powerful then?" Wyatt asked.

Leo nodded. "Probably not in the way you're thinking though. Her power wasn't active as such; she was a talented potion-maker."

"You know I've never really understood what that means," Emily mused out loud. "Any witch can make a potion, right? So what's so special about potion-makers?"

"The effectiveness of a potion depends on getting the balance of the ingredients right," Leo explained. "Potion-makers have an innate feel for what that correct balance is. For example, Wyatt here could easily come up with, and make, a potion that would do what he wanted it to do. But, if your great-grandmother made the same potion, it would be significantly more potent than his."

Emily scoffed at that. "Yeah right, Wyatt's like… Mr Twice-Blessed," she said, using his brother's phrase to describe him.

Leo laughed at her terminology. "I think you've been spending too much time in my youngest son's company," he commented in an amused tone.

Emily blushed and shot an apologetic look at Wyatt. "Sorry, I didn't mean…"

"Don't worry, I'm kind of used to it," he replied, rolling his eyes in a long-suffering manner and making her giggle.

Leo smiled at them, and then continued with his explanation. "I think you misunderstood my meaning," he said to Emily. "Most potion-makers don't come up with the formulae for the potions that they concoct. And they usually only cast the enchantments for the less potent ones. They're typically affiliated with a more powerful witch, who does all that for them."

"So Emily's Great-Grams would just be able to mix-up the ingredients for the potion a lot better than I could," Wyatt concluded, catching onto what his father was trying to say.

The Elder nodded. "Exactly, but don't misunderstand the importance of that, Wyatt. It's specific talent that not many witches possess – a potion-maker would be extremely useful to you and Chris."

Wyatt looked thoughtfully at Emily. "Maybe that's it," he said slowly. "The reason Emily was targeted last night, I mean."

"That's entirely possible," Leo agreed. "I imagine most upper level demons would be very concerned about you two associating with a potion-maker."

Emily laughed nervously. "Pity they didn't check whether I was actually any good first," she said. "It would've saved them a whole lot of unnecessary trouble."

"It doesn't work like that, Emily," Leo said. "Either you have the ability, or you don't, there's no half-way house. Potion-making isn't a skill you learn, it comes from within."

"Maybe you've just got a mental block with it, like you have with your telekinesis," Wyatt suggested.

"Maybe," Emily acknowledged with an incline of her head. "To be honest, I've not really tried mixing potions. I never bothered after all my spells went wrong. Of course, I may not have even inherited the ability."

"May I?" Leo asked, reaching out his hand towards her.

Emily nodded and the Elder placed his thumb and two fingers against her forehead. She felt a slight tingling sensation before Leo lowered his hand again.

"It's there," he confirmed with a nod, "Untried, but definitely there."

"Wow!" Emily said contemplatively.

"Scary huh?" Wyatt asked, quickly sensing her unease.

Emily nodded apprehensively. "You could say that."

"Try finding out your Mr Twice-Blessed, as my baby brother so eloquently puts it."

Emily shot him a sunny smile. "I guess that does kind of put things into perspective."

"You're born to it though, Wyatt," she told him. "I've not known you that long but even I can see that."

The blond witch-whitelighter didn't disagree. "So are you," was his quiet response.

Suddenly realising what he'd done, Emily's blue eyes widened in chagrin. "Reverse psychology, very slick," she commented with a wry nod of her head.

Wyatt beamed at her, his blue eyes dancing with amusement. "Oh, I learnt from the very best," he told her, casting an affectionate look at his father.

Leo smiled at his son, and then turned the conversation back to more serious matters. "You need to find this demon," he reminded the young witch-whitelighter. Wyatt nodded and turned back to the Book of Shadows.

"Stop!" Emily exclaimed, a few moments later. "That's it."

Wyatt flipped back to the page that she was indicating and read the entry aloud. "Mazesh Demon – their unique ability to track their prey over long distances makes them excellent assassins. Often hired by other demons for that purpose."

He broke off and looked up at his father. "Well, that kind of fits the theory, doesn't it?"

Leo nodded. "Is there a vanquishing potion?"

"Yeah, but what good is that going to do? Vanquish one, and they'll just hire another."

Wyatt paused, trying to come up with a better solution. "I need to send a message," he eventually said. "Let them know that this kind of thing won't be tolerated. Where are Mom and the Aunts?"

"Paige needed Piper and Phoebe's help with one of her charges."

"I'll just have to get Chris to help me summon the demon then," Wyatt said, and then grimaced. "Bianca is going to be _so _pleased."

Leo laughed at his son's dismayed expression. "I take it they're out on a date?"

"Yeah, and I'm under strict instructions not to call for him unless it's a dire emergency."

"It can wait," Emily said hurriedly. "I'll be okay for now – I've got the protecting crystals."

"No Emily, it can't wait," Wyatt said firmly. "We have to nip this kind of thing in the bud before it starts. It's not just about you, you see. If I let them get away with it, all our friends could become targets for similar attacks."

Emily nodded, seeing the logic in his reasoning. "It's just all I seem to do is upset Bianca," she said plaintively.

Wyatt laughed. "Don't worry – I think I'll be the one in trouble this time," he said, then raised his voice and called out to his brother. "Chris, I need you."

There was about a thirty-second delay before Chris emerged out of a swirl of turquoise lights, his beautiful girlfriend in tow.

"This better be good, Wyatt," Bianca said threateningly.

Wyatt ignored her and spoke directly to his brother. "I need your help summoning the demon that attacked Emily last night."

Chris frowned in confusion. "What do you want to summon him for? Why not just vanquish his sorry ass?"

"Because he's a hired assassin," Wyatt explained. "And I think Emily was targeted because of us."

Chris looked even more confused.

"Long story short - Emily's a potion-maker and her power could be of significant benefit to us. Someone obviously doesn't like that, so sent this demon to eliminate her."

Chris nodded, finally getting it.

"Okay then, so let's get summoning," he said, crossing the room to collect the candles they'd need, while his brother and father set about constructing a circle of crystals on the attic floor.

Bianca sighed heavily and sat down on the sofa, flopping her head back against the pillows and closing her eyes.

"Sorry about this," Emily said a little awkwardly, as she sat down next to the other girl.

To her surprise, Bianca immediately waved off her apology. "Don't worry about it; it's not your fault. Besides, Wyatt will make it up to us, won't you Wyatt? Dinner at 'Zest' sounds pretty good, don't you think Chris?"

Chris laughed. "I wouldn't say no," he replied.

Bianca turned and smiled sweetly at her boyfriend's brother, deliberately fluttering her long, dark eyelashes at him. "Are you sure 'generosity' isn't your middle name, Wyatt?" she asked, her voice laden with a heavy dose of saccharine.

Wyatt looked steadily at her for a moment, and then turned to his brother. "Did you really have to ask her out?" he complained.

Bianca laughed. "We're destined to be together, remember?" she said. "You're just gonna have to learn to put up with me, future brother-in-law of mine."

"I guess it's a good thing that 'martyr' is my middle name then," Wyatt said, his handsome face splitting into a mischievous grin.

Bianca promptly stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed.

"Are you two engaged?"

Emily was confused, she'd not seen a ring on Bianca's finger, but the future brother-in-law comment didn't make any sense otherwise. She chose not think about why that possibility caused an unpleasant tightening in her chest.

Bianca shook her head. "No, not yet. We were in another future though."

"I don't understand."

The other girl hesitated before looking over at her boyfriend and his family. "Is it okay to tell her?" she queried.

"I think we've established that she's trustworthy," Wyatt answered. His expression was pained though and Emily wondered what she was about to hear, especially when she saw the anguish decorating Leo's features.

"When Wyatt was just a baby, the Halliwell family had a visitor from a future relative," Bianca told her in hushed tones. "He'd come to stop his elder brother from turning evil in the future."

"Save it with the cryptic, Bianca," Chris cut in irritably. "This isn't a fairytale."

Bianca looked a little hurt at his sharp tone, but her boyfriend didn't seem to notice. Instead, he knelt down next to Emily and told her the story as succinctly as he could.

"In the original future, Wyatt was turned evil by an Elder named Gideon, who tried to kill him when he was a toddler. Future Me came back to try and stop that, only he didn't know that Gideon was the one responsible."

"He still succeeded in saving Wyatt though," Emily stated the obvious.

Chris exchanged a brief look with his brother. "Yeah," he said. "Things would be very different if he hadn't."

Emily nodded; trying not to think about what the world would be like if someone as magically powerful as Wyatt was evil, rather than good.

"And you and Bianca were going to be married in this other future?" she asked instead.

"Apparently so."

"What happened to Future You then? Did he go back?"

Chris shook his head. "No, he died on the day I was born, on his twenty-third birthday."

"D-died?" Emily was shocked to the core.

"Well, killed actually," Chris explained. "By Gideon."

"Protecting baby Wyatt?" she guessed.

"Yeah."

"And how old are you now?" Emily asked rather shakily.

Chris smiled. "Twenty-five next birthday. It seems I've escaped my future self's unfortunate fate."

"So how long have you known? About your other self, I mean."

"About eighteen months - Mom, Dad and my Aunts all got inexplicably overprotective of me around my twenty-third birthday. I guess that was understandable, given the circumstances, but Wyatt and me didn't have a clue what was going on. They eventually had to explain it to us because it was getting seriously weird, I can tell you."

"We should have told them sooner," Leo said then. "It's sometimes hard to know what's best for your children when you're a parent though."

Wyatt reached out to squeeze his father's shoulder, and then strode over to the armoire to retrieve a box of matches and a taper to light the candles with.

"Okay, so how about we get this show on the road?" he said, purposely changing the subject.

"That's a whole lot to live up to," Emily said softly to Chris.

The dark-haired witch-whitelighter didn't reply but she caught the look that crossed his face at her statement, a look that she was sure that no one else had seen. Their eyes met for a brief instant and then Chris looked away, focusing his gaze on his still smarting girlfriend instead.

Rising to his feet, he bent and kissed Bianca gently on the forehead. "I'm sorry," Emily heard him murmur quietly to her, obviously apologising for his earlier harshness. "You know it's a painful subject for us all though."

The beautiful young witch said something in return, which Emily couldn't hear, then Chris walked away to join his brother and father as they prepared for the summoning. Reclining back against the cushions, Bianca sighed and threw a sidelong glance at her sofa companion.

"Me and my big mouth," she said. "Sometimes I open it without thinking."

"You're not the only one who suffers from that affliction," Emily replied. "Just be glad you haven't also inherited the clumsy gene like me."

Bianca laughed, and then looked questioningly over at the other girl. "Have you ever seen Wyatt use his power before?" she asked. "I mean, _really_ use his power," she qualified.

Her redheaded companion shook her head. "No."

"Well, fasten your seatbelt, honey, because you're in for one hell of a rollercoaster ride."

_**To be continued…**_

**P.S. Re: Leo 'sensing' Emily's power.** I thought that would be kind of an 'Elder-y' thing, so hope it doesn't seem too out of place.


	5. The Twice Blessed Child

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The character of Emily does belong to me though, but she can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Another new chapter. I'm not revealing all of Wyatt's power in this part by the way; saving some for later!

Thanks for all the reviews. I really appreciate them.

**Re:Zeria **You'll find out in the next chapter how long Bianca and Chris have been together.

**Re:SnowyOwl-17** You'll have to wait and see about Wyatt and Emily. Or do I mean Chris and Emily :-)

**

* * *

Chapter 5 **

As Emily watched in silent fascination, Wyatt lit the final candle, and then blew out the yellow bobbing flame on the end of the taper. Straightening up, he took the demon's athame from Leo and placed it in the centre of the wide circle of alternating crystals and candles. He then stepped outside of the ring, taking care not to dislodge any of the meticulously arranged magical objects as he did so.

"You ready?" he asked his brother.

Chris was standing close by, a lone crystal held between the palms of his hands. The crystal was a different shape to all the others and two-tone in colour, one half snowy-white like its companions, the other half a deep purple-blue. The stone obviously completed the circle but Chris continued to hold onto it, as he nodded in answer to Wyatt's question and reached out his hand towards his brother.

"Whoa!" Emily murmured, feeling a peculiar thrill run through her when the two sibling's fingers closed around each other.

Wyatt and Chris clearly packed some power when they combined their magic in this way. She could feel it crackling in the air around her. The two of them began to speak in unison and the sensation immediately intensified, making Emily feel somewhat dizzy.

"Use this weapon to help us find,

The demon that we wish to bind.

Then summon from the depths of hell,

The creature we seek with this spell."

The golden flames of the candles immediately dimmed, and then flared up again as a spinning vortex of white and blue stars rose up in the centre of the circle. As the candles extinguished one after the other in a falling domino effect, the coloured lights faded away to reveal the demon that had attacked Emily the previous night.

At Wyatt's nod, Chris rushed forward and completed the circle with his crystal, trapping their prisoner in a shimmering magical cage. Curiously, he didn't step back to rejoin his brother afterwards. Instead, he sat down, cross-legged, on the floor next to the oddly shaped crystal, obviously awaiting further instructions.

To Emily's surprise, no one spoke for almost a full minute. Wyatt simply stood, with his arms folded across his chest, staring down the demon confined in the crystal cage. His stance obviously unnerved their prisoner, who shifted agitatedly from one foot to the other, trying to remain defiant under the weight of his captor's steely gaze, but not really succeeding in his goal.

Emily quite understood her attacker's response; the aura of immense power that Wyatt was radiating was seriously intimidating, even when you weren't on the receiving end of it. Gone was the genial, friendly young man of a few moments ago. In his place was the prophesised Twice-Blessed Child, the ultimate power of good magic. Finally, the Mazesh demon could stand the oppressive silence no longer.

"What do you want, boy?" he demanded, infusing his voice with as much aggression as he could muster.

"Well, for you to crawl back into the hole that you came from and never darken my door again," Wyatt said, unfolding his arms and letting them drop to his sides. "But I suppose that's too much to ask."

"If you and your accursed brother are going to kill me, then just do it," the demon growled back.

"Oh, we're not going to kill you," Wyatt replied airily. "Just make you suffer a little bit," he added with ominous overtone. "No one comes after our friends and gets away with it."

He nodded at Chris again, and the dark-haired witch-whitelighter promptly reached out and turned the two-coloured crystal around, so that the purple-blue side was facing inwards. The light cage buzzed and the demon imprisoned inside howled with pain. Chris held the stone where it was for perhaps ten seconds, and then reversed its position.

"You're getting the picture now, I hope," Wyatt continued conversationally, "Because it can get _really_ tiresome when I have to explain things more than once. I'm liable to lose my temper and you wouldn't want me to do that, I assure you."

Emily was quite sure she wouldn't want him to do that either, although her attacker didn't seem to agree. He glared defiantly back at his captor and stood his ground. "I'm not afraid of you, boy."

At that point, Emily didn't know whether he was either extraordinarily brave or immensely stupid.

"No? I guess I'm just gonna have to _make_ you afraid then."

In response to a slight hand gesture from his older brother, Chris once again turned the crystal around, holding it there for significantly longer this time. When he eventually relented and turned off the magical torture, the demon was writhing in agony on the attic's dusty floorboards.

"Are you ready to talk sense yet?" Wyatt enquired as his prisoner rose unsteadily to his feet, coughing and spluttering.

Amazingly – as far as Emily was concerned anyway – the demon still didn't give in.

"I thought you were supposed to be all powerful," he deliberately taunted the seemingly ultra-calm man in front of him. "And yet here you are – the mighty Wyatt Halliwell - hiding behind a crystal cage and getting your underlings to do your dirty work for you."

"Uh-oh," Bianca murmured under her breath. "_Definitely_ a bad move."

To Emily's utmost astonishment, Wyatt instantly took the bait and waved his hand at Chris in a curt gesture of dismissal. The younger Halliwell didn't obey straightaway though. Instead, he turned the crystal round one last time and sent another painful blast of electricity buzzing through the Mazesh demon's veins.

"Just so you know," he said, when he finally returned the crystal to its original position. "_Not _an underling."

With that, he gathered up the curious stone and orbed out, breaking the cage and emerging next to his father in a whirlwind of blue lights. Unexpectedly released from his prison, the Mazesh demon immediately tried to shimmer out, but an invisible force field prevented him from doing so.

Wyatt laughed, a frighteningly hollow sound.

"Come now, you didn't honestly expect it to be that easy, did you? I'm perfectly willing to compromise - see, not hiding behind a crystal cage anymore," he said, spreading his arms wide in an exaggerated gesture, "But if you think you're leaving this attic without my express permission, then you've got another thing coming."

"Damn you!" the demon cursed, firing up an energy ball and hurling it at his captor.

"Energy Ball," Wyatt said calmly.

The fiery sphere came to an abrupt halt in mid-air. After hovering there for a brief second, it reversed its trajectory and ploughed into their prisoner's left shoulder, knocking him to the ground. Not to be deterred, the indomitable demon scrambled back to his feet and launched another energy ball - this time directly at the two girls sitting, defenceless, on the sofa on the opposite side of the room.

Before Wyatt could react, Chris gestured with his hand and the energy ball performed a sharp u-turn right in front of Bianca and Emily's faces. Moments later, the demon doubled over with a shrill cry, clutching at his groin with both hands.

"Ouch!" Bianca said, cringing slightly.

Wyatt shot his brother a look, who just shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, his face splitting into a roguish grin. Sitting between them, Emily caught Wyatt's answering smile. However, she also noticed how he carefully schooled his features back into a blank unyielding mask, before he turned to confront their enemy again.

That's when Emily finally understood, and his uncharacteristic behaviour suddenly no longer scared her half to death. The power was all Wyatt's, but the hard-edged attitude was not. It was a role that he played out of necessity – with Oscar-winning prowess she had to admit – but a role nonetheless. Simply having the power, and using it, wasn't enough. It was important that the opposite side be scared of him, and living up to his reputation for being merciless was one way to achieve that.

"Are you ready to cooperate? Or are we going to have to keep this up all day?" Wyatt asked in a bored tone. "I mean, I'm easy either way, but I'm thinking that you might have a different opinion on the matter."

Knowing when he was defeated, the demon reluctantly surrendered. "What is it that you want me to do?" he asked wearily.

"Excellent! A demon with a brain bigger than a size of a pea - how very refreshing."

The demon's nostrils flared angrily at that. However, he bit his tongue and held back the retort, knowing that it wouldn't do him any good in his current predicament. Emily covered her mouth with her hand, trying not to laugh at her attacker's obvious chagrin. She had the sneaking suspicion that Wyatt was pushing the demon's buttons more for entertainment value than anything else.

Moving purposely forward, the young witch-whitelighter stepped over the outside edge of the circle and effectively into the ring with his opponent. Out of the corner of her eye, Emily saw Leo's fists clench by his sides when he did this, and her heart leapt into her throat. The barely noticeable sign of tension in the Elder made her realise that Wyatt had put himself in danger with such a move.

If Wyatt felt any fear though, he didn't show it as he closed the gap between himself and the demon assassin. Instead, it was the Mazesh, who stepped back warily as the legendary Twice-Blessed Child confidently approached.

"I need you to pass on a message," Wyatt said, coming to a standstill half a metre or so in front of his cowering adversary.

"What kind of message?"

"This kind."

All of a sudden, the demon appeared to be choking. His midnight eyes bugged out of their sockets as he gagged and spluttered for air, clawing ineffectually at the invisible fingers around his neck. Wyatt had not moved, but his blue eyes were intently focused on the demon's panic-stricken face as all this was taking place.

Finally, the implacable witch-whitelighter released the Mazesh from the tight stranglehold, and the demon bent over at the middle, sucking in huge lungfuls of much needed oxygen. Emily, meanwhile, let out the breath that she'd been holding with a big whoosh.

"If you, or any of your kind, ever come after one of my friends again, then they'll have me to answer to," Wyatt said coldly. "And you can be damn sure of one thing - I _won't_ be so lenient next time. Make sure your low-life employers are aware of that fact, won't you?

His black eyes wide with terror, Emily's attacker nodded his head vigorously in response.

"Good," Wyatt said in a satisfied tone. "That'll be all then."

Stepping backwards, he absently dislodged one of the crystals with the toe of his sneaker-clad foot and then waved his hand at the trembling demon.

"Have a nice day now, won't you?" he called out as the creature dissolved into blue lights and disappeared.

Bianca began to laugh. "Have a nice day?" she giggled.

Wyatt shrugged. "It does no harm to be polite," he said solemnly, causing them all to break into laughter.

When their combined mirth died down, Wyatt looked over at Emily. "I don't think you'll be troubled again," he said. "But you probably better hang onto those protecting crystals, just to be on the safe side."

"Okay." Emily agreed. "You do know you're seriously scary when you do that, don't you?"

Wyatt shifted uncomfortably, avoiding her gaze. "It gets results," he explained. "But it _is_ a bit of an act. I mean, it's not like I couldn't…"

"You just wouldn't," Emily finished for him.

Wyatt nodded. "I usually just go for the quick vanquish, prolonged torture's simply not my thing."

"The demon world doesn't need to know that, of course," Chris put in.

"Prevention is better than cure?" Emily suggested to the younger Halliwell brother.

"That's one way of describing it, I guess."

Emily turned back to Wyatt. "How did you stop him from shimmering out?" she asked curiously.

"The circle," he explained, waving his hand in its general direction. "The two-colour crystal created the cage, but the rest of the stones - with the candles - kept him confined to the attic."

"You were playing a dangerous game there, son," Leo said then. "You should have stayed outside the circle."

"Dad, you worry too much." Wyatt replied in a weary tone. "I've still got my shield, even if I don't use it much anymore."

"What if he'd taken you by surprise though?"

"Then you would have vanquished him and healed me."

"That's beside the point," Leo retorted sternly. "You shouldn't be taking chances like that."

Wyatt rolled his eyes and threw up his hands in exasperation at this, and Chris began to laugh.

"Give it up, bro. They're _never_ going to stop worrying about you, no matter how old, or powerful, you get."

"I know," Wyatt replied mournfully. " I guess expecting them to let me grow up some time this century, was always too much to hope for."

Leo shook his head at his sons' antics. "Just be glad your mother isn't here," he said pointedly, prompting the two brothers to break into laughter, obviously in reaction to some family in-joke.

Emily could only assume that Piper Halliwell was an overprotective parent, which would be quite something to see, come to think of it. Her own mother was pretty scary when she went into momma-bear mode, but, with her power to blow-up anything she saw fit, the eldest Charmed One must take protecting one's young to new extremes.

"So Wyatt," Bianca said, winding her arms around Chris's middle from behind and resting her chin on his shoulder. "How about that free dinner you promised us?"

Wyatt looked from Bianca's smiling face to his brother. "Are you just going to stand there and let your girlfriend extort money out of me?" he asked plaintively.

"Umm…," Chris pretended to think about it for a moment, and then nodded. "Yep, I think so."

"So much for family loyalty," Wyatt grumbled good-naturedly.

"It's not that," Chris replied with a grin. "It's just Bianca's a whole lot scarier than you when she's mad."

"Hey!" Bianca objected, poking him in the ribs in protest.

"You see what I mean?" Chris said to no one in particular, and then laughed. Twisting around, he planted a firm, but chaste, kiss on his pouting girlfriend's lips, gently cupping her cheek in one of his hands as he did so.

When they broke apart, Bianca looked over at Wyatt. "You can pay up later," she informed him, then grabbed Chris's right hand in both of hers. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"Okay," Chris agreed. "See you later folks," he added, nodding at Wyatt, Leo and Emily in farewell before orbing himself and Bianca out of the attic.

Wyatt turned to speak to Emily then, but broke off when his attention was suddenly diverted elsewhere.

"What is it?" Leo asked urgently.

"Just Auntie Paige," Wyatt replied. "She, Mom and Aunt Phoebe need my help with something."

He cast an awkward glance at Emily, obviously feeling bad about abandoning her.

"I think I'm capable of getting home by myself," Emily told him. "Well, at least I would be if I actually knew whereabouts in San Francisco I actually was," she amended, after she'd thought about it some more.

"I'll orb Emily home," Leo quickly assured his son. "You go."

Wyatt nodded. "All right. Sorry to skip out on you like this, Emily - I'll see you around, okay?"

"Sure. And don't worry; I understand why you have to go."

"I'll be in touch to arrange those training sessions with Chris," Wyatt told her before he too orbed out.

"Training?" Leo asked, looking curiously at his sons' new friend.

"To help me with my telekinesis power," Emily explained to the Elder.

"Ahh right," Leo said, nodding in understanding. "You're having some trouble controlling it, I take it?"

Emily let out a short, ironic laugh. "Chance would be a fine thing," she said. "It's more along the lines of actually getting it to work in the first place, I'm afraid."

"You're probably trying too hard," Leo quietly advised. "Just relax and you'll find the key to unlocking your power."

"I hope so," Emily said.

"Chris'll be able help you," Leo assured her. "He's good at that kind of thing, even if he doesn't realise it. I'm constantly trying to persuade him to help out at Magic School more. I don't think he's entirely convinced yet though."

"Chris teaches at Magic School?"

"Part-time yes, both he and Wyatt do. They insist on having so-called 'regular' jobs as well however, despite the fact that they are paid to work at the school. Wyatt's extracurricular job makes sense, but I think Chris would be much better off teaching full-time. My sons are both old enough to make their own decisions though, so I have to accept the choices that they make, even if I don't always agree with them."

Emily nodded, wondering exactly what Chris and Wyatt's respective 'regular' jobs were, but far too shy - and polite - to ask.

"So you ready to go home?" Leo enquired.

"Yeah, umm… it was good to meet you, Leo."

Leo smiled. "You too, it's nice to meet the family of one of my past charges. It makes it all seem worthwhile somehow."

"I never knew my great-grandmother; she died a year before I was born. I think she had a happy life though."

"I know she did. Chloe and I stayed in touch after she was assigned a different whitelighter. She was a good friend - as a whitelighter, you care about all your charges, but you do tend to connect with some more than others. She was the one who told me to stop messing about and ask Piper to marry me actually."

"So I have my great-grandmother to thank for my new neighbour's existence then?"

Leo laughed. "In a manner of speaking, yes, I suppose you do."

"Wow! That's really spooky."

Leo smiled. "What goes around comes around, I guess," he said philosophically.

"Anyway, I should get going," Emily decided. "I'm sure you've got things to do."

"You live in the apartment directly below Wyatt and Chris right?" Leo asked. "I wouldn't want to orb you into the wrong one by mistake. It could cause a few problems."

Emily nodded and, moments later, found herself back in her apartment. Spinning around she discovered she was alone – Leo obviously didn't need to travel with her to get her to her destination. The phone started to ring then, and she hurried across the room to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Emily?"

"Hey Mom! How you doing?"

"Good, I'm good. How about you?"

"Things are great," Emily replied, deciding it was probably best not to mention the demon attack. Her Mom would freak big time.

"Mom, can I ask you something?" she queried instead.

"Of course you can, sweetie."

Emily hesitated then. She'd been open and honest about meeting Chris and Wyatt – to her mother at least anyway – but it was still a touchy subject between them, mainly because they both knew that her father would more than likely have a problem with it.

"Honey?"

"I'm sorry, I just realised that you might not want to talk about it."

Her Mom's answering sigh was clearly audible over the phone line. "Emily, listen to me. If you want to pursue your Wiccan heritage, then that's your decision. You're a grown woman now and I'm not going to try to stop you. I do think you need to tell your Dad what's going on though."

"I know, I know – I just think it's something that we should talk about face to face, that's all."

"Look - I'm not saying he's going to be pleased, but I don't think it'll be as bad as you expect. He's a reasonable man, Emily. He never once asked me to turn my back on my magic; that was _my_ choice."

"I know Mom. I'll tell him when I come to visit, I promise."

"Good – now what did you want to ask?"

"Well, you know my great-grandmother?"

"Yes, I do seem to remember her, now that you mention it."

Emily smiled. "Did she ever talk about someone called Leo?"

"Her first whitelighter? Of course."

"You do know we're not talking about just any Leo here, don't you Mom?"

"I don't follow."

"Ever heard of Leo Wyatt? Married to a Charmed One and father of the Twice-Blessed Child?"

"No!"

Emily giggled at her mother's incredulity. "Oh yes – I met him today. He said I reminded him of her."

"Yes, you do look a lot like her," her Mom agreed. "My God, I can't believe it! Leo Wyatt – well you learn something new every day, don't you?"

"That you do," Emily agreed. "So tell me, what's new down your way?"

"Well, I can't top that but…"

With that, her Mom started to fill her in on the gossip back home, and Emily settled herself in the armchair by the window, tucking her feet up underneath her. With the phone cradled in the crook of her neck, she happily immersed herself in the comforting familiarity of events in her hometown, and pushed all thoughts of the Halliwell brothers to the back of her mind.

For a little while at least anyway...

_**To be continued…**_


	6. Training with Chris

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The character of Emily does belong to me though, but she can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Yet another new chapter. Big apologies to anyone reading my other story - my muse is running away with 'Unrequited' at the moment. I do plan to return to 'False Memories' and the two Leo's conversation very shortly however, although there will more than likely be one more update of Unrequited first.

Thank-you for all the lovely reviews. Keep them coming. I love to hear how my writing has gotten everyone thinking. Answers (sort of!) to specific questions below:

**Re: StonyAngel** – Sorry, I should have given you a response last time. Your question/observations will be fully answered by the story as it progresses. Yes, I know I'm being vague, but as I'm sure you'll understand, I don't want to give too much of the plot away.

**Re: Victorious Light **– Wyatt is very conscious of doing the right thing, yes.

**Re: Wonder – **She does - in this chapter!

**Re: BlackRose21 – **the simple answer to your question is no (surprised?). You'll have to read the rest of the story to find out exactly what happens though.

**

* * *

Chapter 6 **

**_Wyatt, Chris and Emily's apartment block, late the following afternoon…_**

Perched, cross-legged, on a sun-lounger in a shady spot near the pool, Emily stole a quick glance around to check that she was alone in the garden. Then, narrowing her eyes in concentration, she focused her attention on the blue plastic beaker sitting on the patio stones, and endeavoured to lift it onto the nearby table with just her mind.

"Boo!"

Jumping out of her skin, Emily let out a startled squeal at the unexpected interruption, almost falling off her chair in shock.

"Sorry, couldn't resist." Chris chuckled in greeting, his green eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Geez! Give me a heart attack, why don't ya?" Emily exclaimed, laying her palm over her rapidly beating heart. "Where the hell did you come from? There was nobody here a moment ago."

"Over there." Chris pointed to a dark, secluded corner of the garden. "I just orbed in."

"I didn't hear you."

"So I noticed. What were you concentrating so hard on anyway?"

"I… umm…"

Emily blushed, trying to come up with a plausible answer to his question, not wanting to admit that she'd been practising her telekinesis because she didn't want to come across as completely inept at their first training session. She'd been desperately hoping that she would manage to break through her mental block somehow. Lady Luck obviously wasn't on her side today however, and it looked like she was going to have to come clean.

"I was trying to TK that onto the table," she said, gesturing at the annoyingly static cup. "Without much success, I might add."

Chris nodded. "Wyatt mentioned you were having some trouble. He thought I might be able to help you actually."

"Yeah, so he said yesterday."

"Well, there's no time like the present. You want to give it a try now?"

"Okay," Emily reluctantly agreed, realising there was no escape from the inevitable humiliation.

"Right, first things first," Chris said, bending to pick up the tumbler from the ground. He carefully placed it on the tabletop before continuing. "I think you should be attempting to knock the cup off the table, because this…"

He casually flicked his fingers at the cup, causing it to topple over and fall to the ground with a clatter.

"Takes much less mental control than this," he finished, making a scooping motion with his hand.

In response to his gesture, the beaker swiftly righted itself and returned to its original position on the table, almost like a film on rewind.

Emily shook her head in amazement. "You make it look so easy. It always feels like I'm trying to lift a ten-ton weight when I attempt to do it."

"How about you just give it a go? And then maybe I'll be able help you figure out where you're going wrong."

"Okay, I'll try," Emily agreed.

Reaching behind her head, she pulled her ponytail tight first, and then squared her shoulders, getting ready to do battle with her stubbornly uncooperative power. Drawing in a deep breath, she screwed up her face in concentration and desperately willed the cup to move.

Chris started to laugh and she stopped, looking up at him enquiringly.

"What's with the face?" he asked, his emerald eyes dancing with unconcealed amusement.

"What face?" Emily said, puzzled.

"This one." Chris twisted his handsome features into a comical imitation of her earlier expression, and Emily giggled.

"I don't look like that, do I?"

"I hate to tell you this, but yeah."

"I was trying to focus my power on the cup," she explained, placing her hands on her temples and then bringing the tips of her fingers together in front of her nose to illustrate her point.

Chris shook his head. "No listen. The power comes from within, from in here," he said, curling his hand into a fist and touching it to the centre of his chest. "You need to focus it there first. _Then_ project it towards whatever you want to move."

Emily nodded, starting to understand. However, while what he said _sounded_ simple, putting that into practise was easier said than done as far as she was concerned.

"I'm not sure where to start," she admitted candidly.

"Well, first you need to relax and stop fighting it. Tensing up like that will only make it ten times harder."

"May I?" he asked, waving his hand at the sun-lounger that she was sitting on.

Emily looked over her shoulder to the spot he was indicating. "Umm, yeah," she said uncertainly, not entirely sure what he was asking.

She got her answer when Chris straddled the long cushioned seat and sat down behind her, his feet resting flat on the ground, either side of the chair. Emily's heart skipped a beat at his sudden close proximity and she closed her eyes, willing herself to calm down.

_Oh, this is definitely not good, _she thought to herself.

"Okay. Relax those shoulders; you're wound tighter than a coiled spring."

Chris pressed his fingertips lightly into the dip where her shoulders met the base of her neck, his touch warming her skin through the thin gauzy material of her top.

_He has a girlfriend. He's not interested in you. He has a girlfriend. He's not interested in you. He has a girlfriend…_

Emily repeated the mantra over and over to herself as she tried to do as he suggested. It was well nigh impossible when she could feel his presence so acutely behind her though. He wasn't even touching her now, and yet those telltale butterflies were still fluttering about in her stomach. To make matters worse, she could feel the warmth of his body heat on her back, and the sensation sent tingles of anticipation down the length of her spine.

If this was any other man, this might be construed as trying it on. However, Emily knew, without knowing how, that this was all perfectly innocent as far as Chris was concerned. He was simply trying to help her overcome her mental block with her telekinesis power. There was nothing more to it than that.

"All right, now close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and focus your mind inwards," Chris said, his voice low and melodic in tone. "Then try to find that place deep inside where your power comes from."

Mesmerised, Emily did as he asked. A strange calm descended over her, and she became intensely aware of the measured beat of her heart as it rhythmically pumped her blood though her veins. Touching the edges of her power with her mind, she discovered, to her surprise, that it no longer appeared to be surrounded by a thick, impenetrable wall.

"I think I've got it," she said excitedly.

"Good. Now whatever you do, don't tense up. Just stay relaxed and try to draw it all together into one place. Slowly though – remember that your power is part of you. There's no need to force it; everything will happen naturally if you let it."

Breathing in deep, even breaths, Emily concentrated on what she was doing and gradually her power began to build inside of her. It was a different feeling to before, she realised. She no longer felt as if she had to fight tooth and nail to hold onto it. Instead, her body and mind were working with her magic, rather than against it.

"What now?" she breathed.

"Open your eyes," Chris quietly instructed.

As soon as Emily did that though, all the sights, sounds and smells of the warm, summer afternoon rushed back in, disrupting her concentration and making it much more difficult to keep a handle on her power.

"I don't think I can hold it," she gasped as her hard-won control started to slip.

"It's okay," Chris said calmly, placing his hands on her shoulders to steady her and leaning in close to speak in her ear. "Just direct your power at the cup and let it go."

Feeling like she was going to explode, Emily pointed at the drinks container and did just that. Her aim wasn't exactly the greatest so she failed to knock the beaker to the floor. It did rock quite noticeably however, much to her complete and utter delight.

"I did it!" she exclaimed, leaping to her feet and twirling round in triumph. "Did you see that? I mean, it definitely moved, didn't it?"

"Oh yeah, there was a distinct wobble factor going on there," Chris said, smiling at her girlish exhilaration as he swung his leg over the side of the sun-lounger and rose to his feet.

"I did it!" Emily said again, still not quite believing it. "I really did it!"

Chris laughed and she calmed down a bit. "Sorry, I know it wasn't much, but at least it was something. I didn't think I'd ever be able to do it. I was so convinced there was something wrong with me."

"There's nothing wrong with you," Chris quietly assured her as he sat down in one the chairs near the table. "Some people just find it more difficult to tap into the source of their power, that's all."

Emily took the seat alongside him, curling her legs up underneath her and hugging her knees to her chest.

"It's important that you get used to focusing your power first, so just keep practising what you've learned today for now," Chris continued. "We'll work on direction and control another time, all right?"

"Okay," Emily agreed with a nod. "Thanks for helping me with this, by the way. You're a good teacher, you know that?"

"So my father keeps telling me – constantly as a matter of fact."

"Do you really work at Magic School?"

"I take a few classes, yeah. Dad told you that, I take it?"

"He did mention something about it yesterday, yeah."

"I bet he did," Chris said knowingly. "Let me guess - he tried to recruit you to his mini campaign to get me teaching full-time."

"Might have done," Emily quipped, smiling at the young whitelighter's resigned tone. "Why are you so resistant to the idea anyway? Don't you enjoy it?"

"With the younger kids, yeah. It's the hormonal teenagers I'm not so enamoured of."

Emily laughed. "I take it they're a challenge to teach?"

"More like a trial," Chris replied. "Dealing with bratty adolescents is just not my thing, I guess. Wyatt's way better at it – probably because they're all in awe of him - but I think he's got an aptitude for it as well."

"Who says that you have to teach the older children anyway? Can't you be like a Kindergarten teacher or something?"

Chris paused before replying, his brow creased in thought. Finally, his expression cleared and he smiled broadly at her. "Logic – now why didn't _I_ think of that?"

"See," Emily said, playfully tossing her head and preening slightly. "I'm more than just a pretty face."

"Yes," Chris replied, looking her directly in the eye. "I'm getting that."

Emily coloured a little at the compliment and looked away, breaking their gaze. The two of them sat in a companionable silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Then Emily raised a subject that she'd been wondering about, ever since she'd heard about Chris's future self coming back to stop his brother from turning evil.

"Can I ask you something?" she queried hesitantly, looking over at her companion.

"Sure, go ahead."

"It's kind of non of my business," she warned. "I was just curious, that's all."

"Well, I don't have to answer if I don't want to, do I?"

"No, I guess you don't."

"So shoot."

"Yesterday, when I said that your future self's memory must be a lot to live up to, you gave me this look… I don't know, maybe I was imagining it."

Chris shook his head. "No, no you weren't. It was hard to deal with when I first found out. But, after I had a long chat with my Dad, it became much easier. It still bothers me sometimes though."

"How so?" Emily asked.

"At first I thought I had to become him, you know? That that was the only way to make my family proud of me."

Emily nodded. "And I assume your Dad reassured you otherwise?"

"In a way, yes. He told me that, in his eyes, he has three sons not two. Wyatt obviously, and then the two versions of me. He says that while my other self and I are very similar, we have enough differences that he can't really view us as the same person. He says he thinks of us as identical twins, even though technically we're one of the same."

"And what about you? Do you see it that way as well?" Emily asked.

"Not exactly, no. I can't view him as a brother, I know he's me. _But_, I don't think we have to be the same person anymore either. In fact, I think he'd be kind of pissed if we were. He went through all that - gave his life - so that I could have the kind of future that he always wanted for himself and his family. I'd be doing him a pretty big disservice if I lived my life in his shadow and didn't make the most of the opportunities he gave me."

"But it's still a lot to live up to, despite that," Emily guessed shrewdly.

"Sometimes, yeah," Chris replied. He shot her a small, wry smile. "You're easy to talk to, you know that, Emily? Wyatt said as much this morning. Apparently, he ended up telling you stuff yesterday that he wouldn't normally confide to anyone but family. I guess you have a special gift for listening to people."

"Or a gift for poking my nose in where it's not wanted," Emily suggested archly.

"But you don't," Chris told her. "I think that's the point. While you're interested in what people have to say, you're also very conscious of not over-stepping the mark. That, coupled with the fact that I don't believe you would ever betray someone's confidence…"

"Of course not," Emily interrupted, shocked at the idea.

Chris smiled. "See what I mean?" he said, "All that makes you a pretty easy person to trust and talk to, Emily, whether you realise it or not."

Emily blushed. "I'm not entirely sure that's a good thing."

"Of course it is. I love my family, I do, but some things are so much easier to talk about with someone else."

"You have Bianca," Emily pointed out to him.

"Yes, I do," he agreed. "And I'm grateful for that. It's just that, with this particular issue, she's not entirely impartial."

"I don't follow."

Chris was silent for a moment, obviously debating whether to confide in her or not.

"It's kind of weird knowing that in another life I was engaged at twenty-one," he eventually said in a contemplative tone. "I mean, I'm twenty-four now and I just don't feel ready for marriage yet."

"It must have been different for your other self though," Emily replied. "The world he lived in can't have been very nice. I imagine, in those circumstances, you'd grab hold of every chance of happiness that you got."

Chris nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I guess you would at that."

"How long have you and Bianca been together?"

"A little over two years, but we knew each other for six months or so before that."

"Right, so before…"

"I found out we were engaged in an alternative future? Yes. That's not why I'm with her, Emily, if that's what you're thinking."

"I wasn't, I just…," Emily broke off, a little flustered.

To be perfectly honest, the conversation was getting a bit too personal for her. She didn't want to think that Chris and Bianca were anything other than perfectly happy together. It raised false hopes within her, stirring up feelings that she'd been striving to keep at bay.

She didn't know why she felt so strongly drawn to Chris, when they barely knew each other, but she did, there was no denying that anymore. Her conscience and upbringing wouldn't let her do anything as morally reprehensible as trying to steal another woman's boyfriend though. While he and Bianca were still a couple therefore, her attraction to Chris would remain strictly under wraps, and certainly wouldn't be acted upon.

"Don't get me wrong, I do want to be with her," Chris said then, interrupting her confused thoughts. "It's just that sometimes I feel like our whole life is already mapped out for us, that all our choices have been taken away."

Emily nodded in understanding but didn't reply, not wanting to say anything that could be interpreted as manipulating the situation to her own advantage.

"Sorry, I shouldn't be burdening you with all of this," Chris said, suddenly noticing her unease with the direction their tête-à-tête was taking.

Emily waved off his apology. "No, it's okay. I do think that you should be telling all of this to Bianca rather than me though."

Chris sighed. "Yeah, you're right. I just wish it were that easy. She gets upset if I bring it up, thinks that I don't love her…" he broke off and shook his head. "Anyway, that's my problem. Let's change the subject, shall we?"

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have brought it up in the first place."

"No, I'm glad you did. It helps to talk about it with someone who isn't so close to the situation."

Emily was about to reply, but stopped when Chris got that same blank look on his face that Wyatt had had the previous day, when his mother and aunts had been calling for him.

"Damn!" he muttered under his breath, glancing at his watch. "Sorry Emily, I've gotta go. I'm being summoned. There's a family dinner at the Manor tonight and I'm kind of late. My parents haven't quite gotten over their overprotective phase yet and - according to Wyatt - Mom's getting a tiny bit shrill. He could be exaggerating, of course, but then again - knowing Mom - probably not."

Emily laughed at his quip and Chris grinned at her, the slight tension between them broken. "I'll see you again soon, yeah?" he said as he stood up and looked around, making sure it was safe to orb away.

Emily nodded and smiled. "Yeah. Enjoy the dinner and say hi to Wyatt for me."

"Will do. Bye then."

Emily returned his farewell and then Chris departed in a stream of turquoise blue lights, leaving her alone with her thoughts once more. Resting her chin on her knees, she sighed heavily, feeling a little despondent.

Her attraction to Chris was gaining momentum like a runaway freight train, and she didn't know what to do to stop herself from falling in deeper. It wasn't as if she would ever try to come between him and Bianca, so, if she was to avoid ending up with a broken heart, then she needed to pull herself together quick fast.

Keeping her distance from him was the wisest option, of course, but that would mean not having his – or Wyatt's – friendship, and they were the two people in San Francisco that she felt most comfortable with. She would just have to learn to accept that she and Chris could only ever be friends, and forget all about her heart's wish for more.

It couldn't be that hard - could it?

_**To be continued…**_


	7. A Family Emergency

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The character of Emily does belong to me though, but she can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **This story is set over quite a long period of time, so watch out for the time jumps when they occur.

**Re: the reviews:** Wow! I've really got everyone talking about who should be with who, haven't I :-) Nobody has guessed exactly how it's going to turn out yet however - although some of you are half way there!

**Re: Zeria **Will Emily meet Piper in this? At some point, yeah, but it's not for a while yet. There are a lot of twists and turns to get through first.

**Re: Victorious Light **Yes, it makes sense because I think that too! My opinions about the show and its characters tend to come out in my writing a lot.

**

* * *

Chapter 7 **

**_Six weeks later, Emily's apartment…_**

Dressed in a pair of blue, low-slung sweatpants and a mint-green t-shirt, Emily wandered, barefoot, into her living room from the bedroom.

A bowl of fruit on the oblong coffee table in front of the sofa caught her eye and she smiled, gesturing at it with her hand. A lone apple immediately rose from amidst the pile of fruit and hovered in the air a metre of so above the table in response. Curling her fingers into a come-hither gesture, Emily proceeded to float the apple towards her with her rapidly developing telekinesis power.

Once Chris had taught her the secret of unlocking her magic, she had improved in leaps and bounds. She still met with him twice a week to train but wouldn't need his tuition for very much longer. She had learned to aim her power properly now, although her control was still a little shaky - as illustrated by the apple, which was bobbing towards her like a puppet on a string, rather than floating smoothly into her outstretched hand.

Each training session had followed a similar pattern to the first – she and Chris worked on her telekinesis technique for a while, and then spent the rest of the time chatting. Occasionally, Wyatt would be around during her lesson, and, even more rarely, Bianca. Invariably though, they were alone and, as they got to know each other better, a solid friendship slowly developed between the two of them.

Emily was still living in denial city as far as her less than platonic feelings for him were concerned, of course. But, on the whole, she didn't allow them bother her too much. Chris had not raised the subject of his and Bianca's relationship with her again, and in order to spare herself the angst, she did her best to avoid seeing them together too frequently.

The couple weren't overly demonstrative towards each other in public anyway, so it wasn't all that difficult. Whether this was a sensible course of action or not remained to be seen. For now however, Emily was simply content to be counted as one of Chris – and Wyatt's - friends.

Aside from her telekinesis training, she'd also been working on her potion making with the eldest Halliwell brother. Her first couple of attempts could only be classed as unmitigated disasters, but she'd gradually got the hang of it and was soon generating potions that – mostly - did what they were supposed to do.

Two days ago though, she had felt something strange click inside when she was brewing up a vanquishing potion, and had finally discovered why potion-makers were held in such great esteem in the magical community. Munching on her apple, Emily cast her mind back to the incident in question…

_**Two days earlier, Chris and Wyatt's apartment…**_

"I think I might have felt something happen when I made that," Emily told Wyatt as she handed him the bottle of vanquishing potion. "I could have been imagining it, of course," she added.

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Wyatt replied, taking the potion from her and tucking it into his shirt pocket.

"You have got a back-up, haven't you?" Emily asked worriedly. "My potion-making's still a bit hit and miss, you know."

Wyatt nodded. "We made a couple of batches ourselves earlier," he said, "I thought you could use the extra practise though."

"Because I'm still so horribly bad at it?"

Wyatt laughed at her rueful comment and shook his head. "No, you're doing great, believe me. Sit in on my eighth grade potion-making class if you want to see what being truly bad at it means."

Emily smiled at that, while Wyatt lifted his voice and called to his brother in the other room. "Chris? Are you ready?"

The younger Halliwell came through into the kitchen from the lounge area, dressed in a pair of casual black pants and a royal blue t-shirt. "Yep – are we off?"

"I think so," Wyatt answered with a nod, "I scryed for the demons a few minutes ago - they're holed up in some abandoned warehouse downtown."

He turned to Emily then. "You can wait here for us if you like. It shouldn't take too long. Make yourself at home. Coffee's in the far right-hand cupboard and there's leftover cheesecake in the fridge if you want some. Feel free to help yourself."

Emily smiled inwardly to herself. Wyatt and Chris always tried to feed her whenever she visited their apartment, a habit that they'd gotten from their Mom, according to Bianca.

"If I ate everything she offered me, I'd look like the back end of bus by now," Chris's girlfriend had told her, only a week previously.

Emily had yet to meet any of the Charmed Ones, although she had seen them from a distance on a couple of occasions. They were surprisingly youthful looking for women in their fifties, she noted, but other than that, there didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary about them.

After the two witch-whitelighters had orbed out, she made herself a mug of coffee and settled on the brown leather couch with her drink and a slice of cheesecake. Obviously another family recipe, the dessert was beyond delicious. It was rich, creamy and melted in the mouth, while the cherry topping was the perfect mixture of sweet and sour. All in all, it was heaven on a spoon, and something told her that this particular piece of culinary perfection had been prepared by non other than Piper Halliwell herself.

Forty-five minutes later, Chris and Wyatt orbed back in and Emily leapt to her feet, shocked by the elder Halliwell's dishevelled appearance. His blond hair was mussed and his face was smudged with soot. In addition, he was sporting a large, purple bruise on one cheek, while a small, oozing cut decorated the pink flesh above his left eyebrow.

"Oh my God! What happened?" she exclaimed in horror.

Chris chuckled. "He didn't stand far enough back when he threw your potion," he explained.

Her blue eyes widening in disbelief, Emily quickly looked at Wyatt for confirmation.

"I think we can safely say that something definitely happened when you made that potion," he told her with a rueful grimace. "Next time, I'll wear body armour."

"Why didn't you use your shield?" Chris asked his brother, still highly amused by the whole episode.

"I didn't have time, it took me totally by surprise," Wyatt bemoaned tragically.

"I have to say, Emily, I'm seriously impressed," Chris told her. "That potion of yours didn't just vanquish the demon, it completely annihilated it."

Stunned by what she'd done, Emily glanced back and forth between the two brothers, before she finally managed to gather her wits about her.

"You're hurt," she said to Wyatt, lightly touching his forearm. "Where do you keep your first-aid kit?"

"What first-aid kit?" Chris cut in with a grin.

"Such things are not usually necessary when one's elder brother has the power to heal," he explained off her bemused look.

Emily looked incredulously at Wyatt "You can heal yourself?"

He shook his head. "No," he replied, "Only other people. I'm sure I'll survive though – it's just a little scratch."

"It could get infected if you don't clean it up," Emily told him, heading towards the door. "I'll go and fetch my first-aid box."

_**Brring! Brring!**_

Emily jumped, shocked back into the present by the shrill sound of the phone ringing. She quickly crossed the room to answer it.

"Hello?" she said into the receiver.

"Emily?" Her Mom's voice was shaky and a cold finger of dread ran through her.

"Mom? What is it? Is everything all right?"

"Honey, it's Chloe. I… I think that maybe you should come home as soon as you can."

_**Twenty minutes later…**_

Struggling with her hastily packed backpack, Emily hurried along the corridor, her cell phone glued to her ear.

"No, you're not listening to me," she said to the insufferably sanctimonious woman on the other end of the line. "I want a ticket for the next flight out of San Francisco this morning. I do _not_ want a seat on this evening's flight! How many more times? Are you deaf or just plain stupid?"

".."

"To be honest, right now, I don't care if it's uncalled for or not. I just need to get home."

".."

"No – don't you dare hang up on me! Arghh!"

Emily hurled the phone against the wall and covered her face with her hands, the tears that she'd been trying to hold back finally breaking free and overwhelming her.

"Emily, what's wrong?"

"Hey come on – don't cry."

Choking back her sobs, the redheaded witch raised her tear-streaked face to find Wyatt and Chris standing either side of her wearing almost identical looks of concern on their faces.

"It's my cousin, Chloe," she sniffled, wiping her red and swollen eyes with her fingertips. "She's been in a really horrible car accident. I need to get home like _now_, but they won't give me a flight until tonight."

"Okay, where are we going?" Wyatt asked, picking up her discarded backpack and slinging it over his right shoulder.

"Huh?"

"Halliwell Airlines is cleared for take-off. Please put your seats in the upright position and fasten your safety-belts," Chris quipped, coaxing a watery smile out of her.

Emily sagged in relief. "Do I need to show you on the map?" she asked tearfully.

Wyatt shook his head. "No, just close your eyes and think about where you want to go and I'll orb us there. Just make sure it's not somewhere out in the open, or we'll cause a bit of a stir."

Emily closed her eyes and thought of a secluded spot in the small park near the hospital. She felt Wyatt touch his fingers to her forehead, and then the now familiar sensation of orbing overwhelmed her. It seemed to go on for longer than normal, she guessed because of the greater distance involved. Finally though, she felt her feet touch solid ground and she opened her eyes to find herself back in her hometown.

"The hospital's this way," she told the two brothers, setting off at speed across the grass.

A few minutes later, she was hurrying up to the hospital's main reception desk. "Chloe Simpson," she told the woman behind the counter. "She was admitted earlier this morning. I need to know where she is."

The receptionist brought up the information on her computer. "She's in ICU, third floor, just take the elevator and follow the signs."

"Thanks," Emily said and rushed over to the elevator, Wyatt and Chris close on her heels. Arriving on the third floor, she immediately spotted her mother seated on one of the plastic chairs at the end of the corridor.

"Mom?"

"Emily!" Bella Hargreaves rose to her feet and embraced her daughter. "How did you get here so quickly?"

"Wyatt and Chris orbed me," Emily explained, waving her hand at her companions.

Bella nodded at the two young men, and then turned back to her worried daughter.

"How is she, Mom? Is she going to be alright?"

"It's touch and go, I afraid, sweetie," Bella said softly, cupping Emily's pale face in her hands and lightly kissing her forehead. "Her injuries are pretty severe. Your aunt and uncle are talking to the doctor now."

Cold fear gripping every bone in her body, Emily sank down into one of the plastic chairs, tears running down her cheeks. Chloe had been her best friend growing up and losing her was simply unthinkable. Bella sat down beside her daughter and reached out to take one her hands.

As the two women drew silent comfort from each other, Wyatt bent to whisper something in his brother's ear. Chris nodded in return and then strode off down the corridor towards the elevator.

"Where's he going?" Emily asked shakily, needing to focus on something other than what was being said in the adjoining room.

"To get our Aunt Phoebe."

She was about to ask why, but then the hospital room door opened and a middle-aged man in a white-coat emerged, closely followed by her aunt and uncle.

"I really am truly sorry," he said to the white-faced and openly distraught couple. "There isn't much more we can do. It's only a matter of time, I'm afraid."

"Michael?" Bella asked her brother fearfully as the doctor moved off down the corridor.

Michael Simpson just shook his head, and Emily's hands rose to cover mouth. "Oh! Oh God!"

"How long?" Bella forced herself to ask as she slipped an arm round her distressed daughter's shoulders and pulled her close.

"A day at most, they think."

"Wyatt!" Emily suddenly blurted out, lifting her ashen face from her Mom's shoulder. "Wyatt can heal her."

The blond witch-whitelighter shifted uncomfortably as all eyes immediately turned to him. "Emily, I don't…"

"But you can, I know you can."

"I know, but just because I can, doesn't automatically mean that I should," Wyatt said as gently as he could to soften the impact of his words. "I know it's an awful thing but it could be her destiny to die young."

"What difference does that make?"

"A lot more than you'd think," Wyatt told them in a quiet, matter-of-fact tone, his blue eyes filled with sympathy for their plight. "If that's the case, then healing her will only delay the inevitable for a little while, and will ultimately put her through even more pain, which I don't believe anyone wants. I know it's hard, but if it's her time to go, then you have to let it happen."

"But what if it isn't her time?" Emily said in anguish, desperately clutching at straws. "How can you know for sure?"

"I can't but my Aunt Phoebe will be able to tell us. That's why I sent Chris to fetch her, so we can find out whether it's okay for me to heal your cousin or not. If she combines her empathic ability with her power of premonition, she can get a sense of someone's destiny, you see. I promise I'll help if I can, Emily. I just don't want to give you – and your family - false hope, that's all. Even I can't circumvent an Angel of Death, however much I might want to sometimes."

One arm around his wife, Michael Simpson looked at Wyatt a little suspiciously. "You're a whitelighter, I gather?" he asked, missing the significance of the names in his anguish over his daughter.

"Michael – this is Wyatt Halliwell," Bella said to her brother, stressing the surname. She hadn't mentioned her daughter's acquaintance with the two brothers to anyone else yet, fearing that her husband might find out before Emily had the chance to tell him herself.

Michael's eyes opened wide, not entirely believing it. The young man standing him before him was supposedly the most powerful witch on the planet, but he didn't look like anything out of the ordinary.

"I'm a disappointment, huh?" Wyatt said genially, recognising the expression on the older man's face.

"Not if you help my daughter, you're not," Michael replied bluntly.

Wyatt nodded, acutely aware that he was technically holding someone's life in his hands. "I hope that destiny allows me to, I really do," he said sincerely.

The elevator pinged then, and Chris and Phoebe emerged, much to Wyatt's relief. The atmosphere was getting just a little bit tense for his liking. He didn't like making these decisions, it always felt like he was playing God, but he knew that it was his responsibility to use his power wisely, even if doing that made him unpopular.

The middle Charmed One reached out and squeezed her eldest nephew's arm in quiet understanding as she passed, and then focused her attention on the grief-stricken parents.

"Hello, I'm Phoebe Halliwell," she said gently, getting straight to the point. "I truly hope that we are able to help your daughter, but you need to understand that that might not be possible. You can't escape destiny – if she's meant to die today then there's nothing anybody can do to prevent it, I'm sorry."

Michael Simpson nodded. "I understand that – I wish I didn't but I do. If there's the slightest chance though…"

"Of course," Phoebe replied, patting his arm sympathetically. "Let's find out, shall we?"

Emily followed the small group of people into the hospital room, dreading what she was going to see. As soon as she stepped over the threshold, her ears were filled with the beep-beep sound of the machines, while her eyes were drawn to the still figure on the bed. It barely even looked like Chloe, her cousin was usually so full of energy, but the young woman hooked up to the machines was pale and unresponsive, a mere shadow of the lively person Emily knew and loved.

Not realising that she had swayed dangerously on her feet in reaction, she was startled when a strong arm encircled her waist to steady her. As she looked up into Chris' compassionate green eyes, her own filled with tears again. She turned and buried her face against his chest and began to sob helplessly, not caring, in the circumstances, how inappropriate her actions were.

As his brother tried his best to comfort the crying young woman in his arms, Wyatt looked on, his eyes shadowed with concern. Emily was turning out to be a good friend and, for him, they were hard to come by. He hated to think what would happen to their friendship if he couldn't help her cousin. It would be perfectly understandable if she blamed him, even though he wouldn't have a choice in the matter. He sighed - sometimes being Mr All-Powerful sucked big-time.

He turned his attention to his Aunt Phoebe then, watching as she drew up a chair next to the stricken girl's hospital bed. She laid her palm over Chloe's forehead and closed her eyes. Wyatt, along with everyone else in the room, held his breath, waiting on tenterhooks for the verdict.

Finally, Phoebe opened her eyes and reached over the bed to take the girl's mother's hand in hers. "It doesn't look like you're going to lose your baby today," she said with a smile. "I think this was just a freak accident. I don't get a sense of anything else at work here."

Standing up, she turned to address her relieved nephew. "You need to be careful," she warned. "You're at risk of exposure if you heal her out in the open like this."

"I think I know a way round that," Wyatt assured her.

Phoebe nodded, trusting his judgement. "Okay, do your stuff. You'd better orb me back to work first though. I have a staff meeting and I'm already late."

Wyatt obediently waved his hand at his Aunt and orbed her away, then walked across the room to take the seat that she had just vacated.

"I can't heal Chloe right now," he told the young woman's worried parents, who were sitting across from him.

"What do you mean?" Leann Simpson, Chloe's mother, asked in a panic. "You said you could help her!"

"And I will," Wyatt quickly replied. "Sorry, I didn't explain myself properly. I meant I can't heal her all in one go – not while she's still in the hospital anyway, it's too risky. I'll just have to help her along with her recovery instead. That way my interference in the healing process will stay under the doctor's radar and magic won't be exposed. Does that make sense?"

"Yes," Michael said impatiently. "Can we just get on with it please?"

Wyatt nodded, understanding the man's need for haste. Mimicking Phoebe's earlier gesture, he covered Chloe's forehead with his hand and allowed his healing power to flow out of him in a controlled fashion. The machines blipped slightly in response and he took his glowing hand away, satisfied that he'd done enough to set her on the road to recovery.

"That's probably enough for now," he said, standing up. "I'll come back and give her another dose tonight."

"Are you sure she's going to be all right?" Emily asked him, looking anxiously at the still unconscious form of her cousin on the bed.

"Yes, don't worry. I don't for a second think she will, but if she does get worse for any reason, then just call me, okay?"

Emily nodded, then stepped forward, stood on her tiptoes, and hugged him. "Thank you," she said softly in his ear. "I don't know how I'm ever going to repay you."

"Oh, I'm sure we'll be able to come up with something," Wyatt joked as she released him and stepped back.

Emily swatted his forearm in protest and Wyatt grinned at her. "Me and Chris will leave now," he said quietly. "I'm sure you and your family would prefer some time to yourselves. I'll see you in a few hours, all right?"

"Yeah, and thanks – both of you – for everything."

"What are friends for?" Chris said lightly as he and his brother turned to leave.

After bidding them farewell, Emily closed the door behind them and turned back to her family. Fate moved in mysterious ways sometimes, she decided. She could so easily have stayed in her hometown and never met Wyatt and Chris, and then this unhappy occurrence would have become a full-blown tragedy.

She could never be more grateful that she'd moved to San Francisco in her life, and she fleetingly wondered what else destiny had in store for her, now that she was on this path. For the present however, all she really cared about was Chloe - destiny, the future, and everything else, could get in line and wait their turn.

_**To be continued…**_

**

* * *

P.S. **I thought after twenty odd years, Phoebe's powers would have developed. What she does in this chapter seemed like a logical way for that to happen to me. 


	8. Chloe

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Okay, little plot twist coming up. Certain things will be much clearer from here on in. Keep reading though, because this is not the end of the story.

As ever, thanks for all the lovely reviews.

**Re: Teri **You're right in thinking the title of the story is significant but you're wide of the mark with your guess. Maybe this chapter will help you decide.

**Re: Victorious Light **About Wyatt not necessarily saving Chloe – I wanted to show that the Charmed Ones had learned from their experiences and passed that knowledge onto their children. Can't remember which episode it is, but there's one where Phoebe has to let her boyfriend die because it was his time.

I also don't want Wyatt to be the all-conquering hero – I've tried to make him human with insecurities, just like everyone else.

**

* * *

Chapter 8 **

_**Three days later…**_

"Wyatt Halliwell? You have got to be kidding me!"

Emily giggled at her cousin's open-mouthed incredulity. Chloe was propped up against a mound of pillows in her hospital bed, an oxygen tube up her nose and a drip in the back of her hand pumping drugs into her system. She had regained consciousness two days earlier, but this was the first time she'd been compos mentis when Emily had come to visit her.

"I told you I'd met him, remember?"

"I know but…," Chloe broke off and shook her head. "It's not like I didn't believe you, Em, it's just… it didn't seem real, you know?"

"Oh, it's real alright and, believe me, I couldn't be more grateful right now."

"He's cute, huh?"

Emily shot her cousin a steady look. "I meant because of you," she said with exasperation. "You could have died, Chloe."

Chloe dropped her gaze to the patterned bedspread. "I know," she said quietly. "Mom, she was so… and Dad, I mean he actually cried and I've never seen him cry – ever."

Responding to the other girl's obvious discomfort, Emily reached out and squeezed her hand in silent understanding. Chloe swallowed hard before lifting her eyes back to her cousin's face.

"There'll probably never let me step out the front door on my own again…," she said with a forced smile, trying to lighten the mood.

A soft tapping sound reached their ears then, and both women started in surprise. The door opened a fraction and Wyatt poked his head around the frame. "Hey!" he said. "Is this a bad time?"

"No Wyatt, come on in," Emily replied, beckoning to him with her free hand.

The door opened further and the rest of Wyatt's tall muscular body followed his head and shoulders into the room. He was holding a small bunch of flowers in his right hand, tied together with a piece of silver ribbon and some crepe paper, and he offered them to Chloe as he reached her bedside.

"For the patient," he explained with a tentative smile.

"Chloe!" Emily prompted when her cousin just stared at her unexpected visitor with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"Oh!" Chloe jumped, shaking off her stunned surprise and finally reaching out her hand to accept Wyatt's gift.

"Thank-you, they're lovely," she said softly, a pink blush staining the apples of her cheeks as she fingered the delicate blooms and inhaled their heady perfume.

Wyatt nodded politely at her, pulled up a chair and sat down next to Emily. "How you feeling?" he asked.

"Like I just got run over by a bus," Chloe quipped, making him smile. "Thanks for… umm… well, saving my life, I guess."

"My pleasure," Wyatt returned in a warm tone. He glanced at the drip and oxygen tube and sighed. "I came by to heal you some more - only I overheard the doctors talking about you when I got here. They're astounded by the miraculous turnaround in your condition, so I think it's best if we leave it for a while. We don't want them asking too many questions. Risking exposure isn't a good idea. The Cleaners will probably wipe out what I've done if we get caught."

"The Cleaners?" Emily asked, confused.

"They, umm, 'clean up' when magic is inadvertently – or deliberately - exposed," Wyatt explained, "They erased my existence once - after I orbed a dragon out of the TV set."

"A dragon?" Chloe asked, her eyes were sparkling with mirth.

"I was just a baby," Wyatt said defensively. "Anyway, the Cleaners originally removed me from reality, but my Mom and Aunts eventually managed to persuade them otherwise. Because of that, I've had it drummed into me from an early age that I have to protect magic from exposure at all costs."

"So what would these 'Cleaners' do if we did get found out?" Emily asked.

"They usually deal with it by removing the cause the exposure," Wyatt told her.

"You mean they would let Chloe die."

Wyatt nodded. "That would be my guess, yes. That's why we need to be careful."

"You're risking a lot to help me," Chloe said gravely.

Wyatt shrugged. "Possibly," he said. "I'm sure it will be worth it though," he added.

Chloe beamed at him and Emily tried not to laugh as her cousin's dazzling smile had its usual potent effect on a member of the opposite sex. Wyatt was clearly bowled over by it, and his eyes never left Chloe's face as he shyly returned her smile with one of his own. The two of them gazed at each other in silence for a few moments, before Emily broke the status quo by reaching out to take the bunch of flowers from her cousin's hand.

"I'll put those in water before they wilt," she said, getting to her feet.

Picking up an empty vase on her way, she wandered into the small adjoining bathroom, filled the glass receptacle with water and set about arranging the flowers to her liking. She could hear the quiet murmur of voices from the other room and she smiled, lingering in the bathroom for a little while longer than was strictly necessary.

She had learned from Chris – and to a lesser extent, Wyatt – that the blond witch-whitelighter had been rather unlucky in love. With his reputation, it was difficult for him to tell whether his dates were genuine or not, and he'd made a few costly mistakes in the past. One girl, Tara, had caused considerable heartache by all accounts. Wyatt had only vaguely mentioned her in passing, but Chris had told Emily the whole story, obviously still feeling guilty for not realising what she was like before it was too late.

"She seemed so honest and sincere," the younger Halliwell had said. "Wyatt really fell for her, but all she wanted was to manipulate him for her own ends. You know – get him to cast a spell so that she was promoted at work, that kind of thing - nothing really evil, just totally unethical and against the rules."

"Wyatt didn't give into her I take it?"

"Of course not – he loved her, but he's always been very conscious of doing the right thing. Using our powers responsibly and not abusing them was – is - something that our parents are very big on. Tara turned nasty when she realised he wouldn't do what she wanted though, and their break-up completely knocked his confidence in relationships. He didn't date anyone else for nearly a year and he's very cautious nowadays - overly so really."

Well, Emily knew for a fact that Chloe was as genuine as they came, so she saw no harm in encouraging her and Wyatt to get to know each other better. She hoped that the initial spark of attraction she had observed between them would flare and ignite into something more. However, if nothing more than friendship came of it, it would hardly be the end of the world.

She waited where she was for as long as she could, without drawing undue attention to her absence, and then made her way back into the other room, carrying the vase of flowers in her hands.

"There," she said, setting them down on the cabinet next to the bed, where her cousin could see them.

"Thanks Emily," Chloe murmured a little wearily, instantly rousing her cousin's concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," Chloe replied. "I'm just a bit tired that's all."

Wyatt took that as his cue to leave. "I'll let you get some rest," he said, rising to his feet. "I'll come back tomorrow, okay?"

Chloe nodded, her expression faintly disappointed. "Okay, but you don't have to go you know."

"I wouldn't want to outstay my welcome."

"I don't think it's possible for you to do that," Chloe replied with a soft smile.

Wyatt's mouth quirked up at the corners at that, and he gazed contemplatively at her before speaking again.

"I'll come back tomorrow," he repeated slowly, his blue eyes lingering on her face for a long moment before he eventually turned away.

"Bye Emily," he said over his shoulder as he headed towards the door.

"Bye Wyatt," Emily said, waving at him and trying to hold back the cheesy grin that was threatening to escape.

"Oh my God!" Chloe flustered as soon as the door closed behind him. "Look at the state of me! He must have thought I looked like a scarecrow or something."

Emily laughed at her cousin's ridiculousness. "Chloe, come on, you're beautiful."

Even clad in a less than flattering hospital gown and ill in bed, Chloe was exactly that. Her atypical paleness simply added an extra ethereal quality to her looks. She was medium-tall and her body was slender, but certainly not devoid of womanly curves. Her long, thick mane of hair was the warm, golden hue of a summer cornfield, while her eyes were a vivid violet-blue colour.

Emily had been envious of her cousin growing up. Chloe never seemed to go through that awkward, prepubescent stage that she had experienced with a vengeance. The sweet, angelic look of her childhood had developed into the softer, more womanly look of her adulthood with consummate ease. Emily, on the other hand, had taken a long time to grow into her appearance.

While being redheaded with freckles was cute as a little girl, it hadn't been the best look for her teenage years. Between the ages of eighteen and twenty though, her body had finally filled out and lost all its gangly awkwardness, while her hair deepened in shade to a rich, auburn colour as opposed to the lighter carrot-topped hue of her earlier youth. It was only then that she had become completely comfortable in her own skin.

While she and Chloe had different colouring, the family resemblance was clearly there. They were of similar height, and their slender but curvy figures were virtual carbon copies of each other. The shared genes were also very apparent in their facial features, each of them having similar shaped eyes, nose, and mouth.

"You need to bring me some decent nightwear before he comes back," Chloe continued, plucking at the shapeless greying gown with her fingers. "And my make-up, hairdryer… you think they'd let me have a shower?"

"I think you might be restricted to bed baths at the moment," Emily replied with an amused grin. "I'm sure they'll wash your hair for you if you asked them to though."

Chloe wrinkled her nose. "I suppose that's better than nothing," she said with a sigh.

"You're recovering from a major accident, Chloe. Does it really matter what you look like right now?" Emily asked slyly.

"Of course it does!" her cousin exclaimed, horrified. "I can't lie here looking like a…"

Chloe stopped abruptly, realising she'd been caught out. "That was cruel," she said with an exaggerated pout, her cheeks flushing red.

"Maybe but it was also fun," Emily replied with a cheeky grin.

"He is kind of cute though, don't you think?"

"I had noticed, yeah."

"You don't like him too, do you?" Chloe suddenly asked, belatedly realising she could be stepping on her cousin's toes as far as Wyatt was concerned. "I mean, if you do I wouldn't… you don't, do you?"

Emily laughed. "Relax hon - you're free to go for it if you want. I think he's great and I like him a lot, but we haven't really connected on that level, you know?"

"Why?" Chloe asked with her usual bluntness. "I mean, he's gorgeous!"

"I know; it's just…"

Emily broke off, unwilling to mention Chris at this stage. Chloe would probably force her to talk about it and she wasn't quite prepared to face her innermost feelings just yet.

Chloe shot her cousin a penetrating look, guessing there was something that she wasn't saying. She decided to let it slide though, knowing that Emily would confide in her when she was ready.

"He probably doesn't even like me anyway," she said instead, trying to be realistic. This was Wyatt Halliwell, after all.

Emily scoffed. "Yeah right – he couldn't take his eyes off you."

"Really?" Chloe asked, bashfully lowering her gaze.

"Yes really," Emily replied, knowing her cousin's uncertainty wasn't entirely feigned.

"I always do this though. Run before I can walk. I was so convinced about Paul…" Chloe trailed off, her beautiful eyes clouding over in remembrance.

"Wyatt isn't Paul, Chloe," Emily quickly reassured her. "He's a decent guy – he won't mess you about like that. If he doesn't feel the same way, then he'll tell you straight, I'm sure of it."

Chloe nodded, relieved. Her former boyfriend Paul had broken her heart, pretending to be more serious about their relationship than he actually was. It had taken her a long time to get over him and move on with her life.

"I am possibly getting a teensy bit ahead of myself though," she said, with a self-depreciating smile. "I mean, we've only had a five minute conversation. It's not exactly much to go on, is it?"

Emily giggled. "I guess not. He liked you though, Chloe, I could tell. And you have the perfect excuse to ask him to visit you whenever you want."

"I guess I just got lucky then, huh?"

"I guess you did."

**_

* * *

The following day… _**

Wyatt pushed opened the door and entered the darkened hospital room. Chloe was asleep, her blonde hair fanned out on the pillow and her long lashes resting against her pale cheeks. She was still on oxygen and a drip, but he thought her colour had improved since the previous day.

He sat down in the chair next to the bed, unsure of the etiquette involved in healing someone while he or she was asleep. Should he wake her first or not? Luckily, he didn't have to decide because Chloe stirred, somehow sensing his presence in the room. Her violet-blue eyes slowly opened and she gazed up at him with a hint of a smile on her face.

"Hi!"

"Hi!" Wyatt returned softly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay," Chloe's voice was still a little slurred from sleep.

"I think it's safe enough to heal you some more now," he told her.

Chloe nodded. "All right," she said. "Umm… what do I do?"

Wyatt smiled. "Nothing, just lie still."

He held his hands out over her and she watched, fascinated, as they began to glow. The dull, persistent pain that the drugs couldn't completely get rid of immediately lessened somewhat, while the elephant's foot on her chest eased up a little, making her breathing much less hard work. After about twenty seconds, Wyatt took his hands away.

"Better?" he asked.

"Yes, much… thanks."

"I'm sorry I can't…" Wyatt waved his hand at her to illustrate his point.

"Hey, no worries. I mean, this is better than being dead, isn't it?

Wyatt chuckled at her forthright assessment. "I suppose if you put it like that, yeah."

Grimacing with effort, Chloe tried to manoeuvre herself into a seated position and Wyatt quickly rose from his chair to assist her. With quiet efficiency, he arranged several pillows to help support her head, shoulders and lower back, and then sat back down once she was settled and comfortable.

"Thanks," Chloe said.

"No problem," Wyatt replied.

Silence descended and then Chloe spoke up, determined to overcome the shy awkwardness that had infused their encounter so far.

"Emily tells me you and your brother have been helping her with her powers," she said.

"Yes," Wyatt agreed.

"I'm glad. I mean, Uncle David is a real sweetheart and all that, but he really stifled that side of her."

"Uncle David is Emily's Dad, right?"

"Yes. He doesn't like Em and her Mom using magic."

"Yeah, so she told me. Have you got similar powers to Emily then?"

"Yes and no. I'm a potion-maker too but Emily's way more powerful than I am – I've always been able to sense that about her."

"You have?"

"My other power," Chloe explained. "I can sort of sense other people's auras."

"You're empathic?"

"No, not really. It's kind of hard to explain. It's like a sixth sense - I can read a person's – or a room's - energy, but I don't really get any specifics. Like with you for instance, I can feel how extraordinarily powerful you are, but that's it."

Wyatt nodded, slowly starting to understand.

"I can sometimes manipulate those energies if I want too," she continued. "Like if someone is extra stressed, I can untwist the negative vibes around him or her and help them to calm down."

Chloe broke off her explanation and smiled. "It sounds really new-agey, doesn't it?"

"I guess all magic does to a certain extent," Wyatt said. "I think I get what you mean though. It's sort of a watered down version of my Aunt Phoebe's power in a way."

"Seeing as your Aunt Phoebe is a Charmed One, I think I'll take that as a compliment."

"I didn't mean…"

"I know, I was just kidding."

"So – what do you do? For a living, I mean."

"I trained to be a nutritionist at college," Chloe answered. "I've combined that with my potion-making and aura-sensing power and opened up an alternative therapy practice. I don't treat people with serious illness or anything like that though. My clients are usually stressed-out business types, harassed Moms, hyperactive children, that kind of thing. I hope I help them to lead happier, healthier lives."

"I'm sure you do," Wyatt said with genuine sincerity.

"It doesn't stop me being branded a quack though," Chloe said wearily. "I guess some people are suspicious of me because I'm not your average dietician - even though I do have qualifications and would always turn away someone that I felt should really see a medical doctor."

"You can't win them all," Wyatt said. "Believe me, I know."

"No, I don't suppose you can. You can try though, can't you?"

Wyatt nodded and smiled warmly at her. "You're a lot like Emily, you know, only different."

"Well, there's a contradiction if ever I heard one."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I guess I do. We do have a lot in common, but we're quite different in many ways."

"You two seem really close though."

"Yes, we are," Chloe agreed with a smile. "She's been my best friend for as long as I can remember."

"Are you the same age then?" Wyatt asked.

Chloe nodded. "We're both only children, so I guess we've ended up more like sisters than cousins."

"It must have been tough for you when she moved to San Francisco."

Chloe sighed. "Tell me about it," she said quietly. "I've missed her so much, but it was something that she really wanted – no needed - to do, so I couldn't stand in her way."

"So, have you ever thought about moving away from here yourself?" Wyatt asked, attempting to sound disinterested but not exactly succeeding.

"Why?" Chloe queried coyly, butterflies fluttering about in her stomach.

"No reason," he replied blandly. "I was just wondering, that's all."

"Sometimes I have," Chloe told him honestly. "Not particularly seriously though. Emily is a lot more adventurous than I am, you see. I suppose I'm fairly settled here, what with my work and all."

"You could do that kind of thing anywhere though," Wyatt pointed out.

"I guess that's true," Chloe conceded. "Maybe one of these days I might think about it seriously, after all," she added with a smile.

A big grin slowly crept across Wyatt's handsome features at her words, and Chloe blushed, quickly looking away from his steady – and appreciative? - gaze.

_Calm down girl, _she silently told herself, trying to ignore the rapid thump thumping of her heart. _You've only just met the guy, for god's sake._

A sudden sharp rap on the door startled them both, and they each flustered as an efficient nurse entered the room and proceeded to check on Chloe's drip.

"If you don't mind, young man," she said sharply to Wyatt. "It's time for Miss Simpson's bed bath."

_Oh my God! She did not just say that! _Chloe was mortified, but couldn't resist sneaking a glance at Wyatt to check on his reaction nevertheless.

The blond witch-whitelighter was staring, open-mouthed, at the calmly matter-of-fact nurse, his blue eyes wide with amazement at her utter bluntness. He eventually shook himself out his shock and scrambled to his feet, almost falling over them in his haste.

"Okay, I'll just…," he broke off and pointed at the door. "Umm… I'll see you again soon, Chloe."

"Yeah – bye," Chloe replied, keeping her eyes downcast to hide her scarlet cheeks.

"Oh dear," the no-nonsense nurse said after Wyatt had hurriedly left. "I think I rather embarrassed your boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend," Chloe quickly corrected her.

"Not yet," the nurse replied with a suggestive wink.

_Has she no shame? _"I only met him yesterday. He's a friend of my cousin's."

"You like him though, don't you?"

"Yes but…"

"Well, go for it girl," her nurse advised as she pulled the curtain round the bed. "Looking like that, he's not going to be single for very long. If I wasn't old enough to be his mother…"

Chloe giggled. "You're incorrigible."

"So they tell me," the nurse agreed. "I prefer to call it realistic. You have to take your chances in life, honey, because you'll never know what you've missed out on if you don't."

With her recent brush with death, Chloe could relate to that philosophy. Her accident had made her re-evaluate her life. Maybe it was time to take a leaf out of Emily's book and take that giant leap into the unknown, after all…

_**To be continued…**_

* * *

Now let's see, who guessed right about Chloe? Oh yeah, that would be **CharmedClover** and **Martina G** :-) 


	9. Picnic at the Lake part 1

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **This part and the next were supposed to be all one chapter, but it looks like it's going to end up _extremely_ long. So I've decided to split it into two shorter parts instead and post the first one now. The second half should be up in a couple of day's time. Enjoy!

Thanks for the reviews.

**Re: teal-lover** - more Chris and Emily for you :-)

Oh and by the way, Oakenvale is a completely made up place.

**

* * *

Chapter 9 **

**_Four days later…_**

Emily leaned back against the elevator wall and watched as the red neon number counted upwards.

1… 2… 3… 4… 5…

Chloe had been moved from her ICU bed to a private room on the seventh floor two days earlier, but Emily was still reluctant to return to San Francisco. She knew she would have to very soon however, because she'd only been able to take a couple of weeks off work.

The elevator finally pinged and the metallic doors opened with a smooth swish. Stepping out into the nondescript corridor, Emily immediately came to face to face with Chris, who was walking in the opposite direction.

"Oh! Emily… hi!"

"Is something wrong?" Emily asked, catching the guilty look that crossed his face as he greeted her.

"No, nothing, I just…"

"Came to check out Chloe's suitability?" she suggested, her eyebrows rising to her hairline in amusement.

"Uh-oh, busted," Chris said with a comical roll of his eyes and a wry shrug of his shoulders.

Emily laughed. "Don't worry – if I didn't already know Wyatt, I'd be doing the same thing," she reassured him. "So – did she pass muster?"

Chris frowned, pretending to consider it before he smiled broadly. "Yeah, I think so."

"Good. So tell me something - is he planning on asking her out some time before they're old and grey or not?"

"She's in a hospital bed, Emily."

"So?"

Chris grinned. "I hope your cousin is patient because it'll be a while yet before he works up the courage to make a move. I told you he was cautious."

Emily nodded. "It's probably not such a bad thing," she decided. "That things are moving slow, I mean. She's still dealing with the emotional after-affects of her accident right now."

"Did they catch the person who hit her yet?" Chris asked.

"Yes – they arrested him two days ago. He's probably going to get away with it though."

"How come? I thought Wyatt said something about the car being a complete write-off."

"It was - and they have witnesses to say he was swerving all over the road. But they won't be able to prove he was drunk because he fled the scene and wasn't breathalysed."

"Surely they'll be able to charge him with something."

"Yes - just not everything," Emily said dejectedly. "I'm sorry; I guess I should just be grateful that Chloe is going to make a full recovery."

"There's nothing wrong with wanting justice," Chris said, sympathising with her need to have the person responsible for her cousin's terrible accident punished.

Emily nodded her head and then sighed. "Let's change the subject, shall we?" she said. "This is getting depressing."

"Fine by me."

"I take it Wyatt is with Chloe at the moment then?"

"Umm, yeah."

"And three's a crowd?"

"I was definitely getting that impression, yes," Chris answered, his green eyes twinkling with amusement.

"So I should probably come back later?" Emily suggested with a smile.

"That might be an idea," the dark-haired witch-whitelighter playfully advised.

"Okaay – so what to do now?"

"I wouldn't mind a tour of your home-town," Chris told her.

Emily's heart skipped a beat at that. Spending time alone with him, not under the guise of training, was something she only dreamed about. "Don't you have to get back home?" she asked, and then mentally kicked herself for even suggesting it.

"Not really - I've got the day off and Bianca's at some family thing."

"And you didn't get invited?"

"More like I deliberately avoided," Chris replied with a rueful grimace. "Her father doesn't exactly like me very much. The feeling's mutual but Bianca gets upset when there's a scene, so I tend to stay away if he's going to be around. I'm not the best at keeping my temper when he's purposely trying to provoke me."

Emily couldn't quite see what Bianca's father could have against Chris, given his family connections and his decent character, but she supposed there must be something.

"I'm not successful enough career-wise," Chris told her, guessing her thoughts from the expression on her face. "Plus she chose me herself, of course - rather than selecting a candidate from the list of appropriate suitors he'd drawn up."

"But I don't understand – Bianca's a witch, right? Her family is part of the magical community?"

"Yes."

"So how can you not be successful enough? You're a Halliwell."

"Maybe, but my yearly income is broadly equivalent to what Bianca's father makes in a few hours. He measures success on how much money you earn, not how many innocents you save. Wyatt might have been good enough, I suppose, but choosing second best is definitely a big no-no as far as Daddy is concerned."

"That's stupid."

"Yes, but it's the way he thinks, so there's not much I can do about it."

"You're lucky that Bianca doesn't feel the same way."

"Yeah, I guess I am. So – shall we go?"

"Okay," Emily agreed, pressing the call button for the elevator. "You do realise that, compared to San Francisco, Oakenvale is not exactly the most exciting of places?"

"In your opinion maybe - I've lived all my life in the big city though, so small town America is a change of scene for me. It's just what you're used to, I guess."

Keeping up a constant patter of friendly chat, the two of them rode down in the elevator, before making their way out of the hospital's front entrance and round to the parking lot at the side of the building.

"Cool," Chris said when he spotted Emily's slightly beat-up old convertible.

"My pride and joy," she told him. "I saved up for what seemed like forever to buy her when I was nineteen. She's on her last legs now though, poor baby. She definitely wouldn't have survived the trip to San Francisco, so I left her behind to enjoy her retirement."

The two of them climbed into the azure-blue and chrome car, then Emily gunned the engine and reversed out of the parking space.

"Okay, in approximately one kilometre, we shall reach the main shopping street," she intoned in her best tour-guide voice, as they left the hospital grounds and turned out onto the road. "Places of interest include the movie theatre on the left, the bowling alley on the right, and then a little further on down the street - Mandy's Diner and Hailey's Coffee Shop. We shall be making a brief stop at Hailey's to get some lunch, and then heading onto Oakenvale's most famous landmark – the lake."

"I take it that's where you go to park," Chris said with a chuckle.

Emily blushed at the thought. "At night maybe," she replied. "During the day though, it's where you go for a picnic, a swim and to generally relax. Hailey will pack us up a picnic basket – if you're up for it that is."

"Sounds good to me," Chris said. "I always seem to be constantly on the go nowadays. It'll be kind of nice to kick back and relax for a while."

Emily nodded. "That's what I noticed most when I moved to San Francisco," she said. "The pace of life is so much quicker. Here, people tend to go about their business at a much more leisurely pace. There are advantages and disadvantages to that, of course. I prefer to stand in a queue in San Francisco, that's for sure."

Chris laughed as they pulled up in front of a coffee shop with an array of seating and sun umbrellas outside. The bell above the door tinkled as they entered the cool, air-conditioned interior and made their way over to the serving counter.

"Emily!" A dark-haired girl of about fifteen exclaimed as soon as she spotted their approach.

"Hey Sara," Emily greeted her. "How you doing?"

The pretty teenager's face split into a brilliant grin. "We're dating now," she informed Emily, her hazel eyes shining with happiness.

"Atta girl," Emily approved with a smile. "Is your Mom around?"

"Sure, she's out the back. I'll go get her."

"I take it you know who she's dating," Chris asked as the young girl disappeared in search of her mother.

"Seth Henderson, the kid she's been making puppy-dog eyes at for the past year or so. Well, at least I hope it is, or all that moping around she did over him wasn't worth the effort."

Chris laughed. "Oh, the joys of being a teenager in love," he said. "Your friend is luckier than most though – Shona Templeton never even looked once in my direction - much to my bitter disappointment, I assure you."

"Emily – you're back!"

Their conversation was interrupted when an attractive woman in her mid-thirties emerged from the kitchen. Untying her flour-covered apron, she tossed it to one side and came out from behind the counter to greet her visitors.

"How's my favourite ex-employee then?" she asked, engulfing Emily in a warm, affectionate hug.

"Good – I'm good," Emily replied, returning the woman's embrace and then stepping back.

"New boyfriend, huh?" Hailey asked, nodding at Chris, one eyebrow raised suggestively.

Emily flushed with embarrassment. "No – err – just a friend. This is Chris Halliwell, he and his brother live in the apartment above mine."

"Hey!" Chris said with a friendly wave.

"Nice to meet you," Hailey returned, and then turned back to Emily," I heard about Chloe – awful business. I hope they lock up that idiot who ran into her, and throw away the key. How is she by the way?"

"She's doing really well - they moved her out of intensive care a few days ago."

"That's great. So is she up to visitors yet?"

"Sure – she'd love to see you," Emily replied, "Especially if you take along some of your chocolate brownies."

Hailey smiled. "I'll see what I can do," she said. "Anyway, what brings you here?"

"Well, I was going to pop in and say hi at some point, but Chris and I are going down to the lake so…"

"You want me to make you up a picnic basket," Hailey finished for her.

"How did you guess?" Emily replied with a sunny smile.

"Okay – one picnic basket coming up. Help yourself to a drink while you wait – you know where everything is."

"You used to work here?" Chris asked, leaning against the counter as Emily moved around behind it.

"I think everyone in town has worked here at some point," Emily said with a laugh. "So what do you fancy? A disgustingly fat-ladened milkshake or a supremely healthy fruit smoothie?"

"Umm," Chris picked up the menu and scanned the drinks list. "A Hawaiian smoothie, I think," he decided.

"Good choice," Emily approved, retrieving several containers of freshly chopped up fruit from the fridge and tipping them into a large blender.

She added some crushed ice and a dash of natural yogurt and then turned the machine on. A few seconds later, the smoothies were made and she carefully poured the orangey-yellow concoction into two tall glasses and added a straw to each.

"I should get my Mom to offer you a few shifts at P3," Chris said as he sipped his drink. "You're a natural."

"With milkshakes and smoothies maybe – I wouldn't have a clue where to start with cocktails though."

"It's not all that different, apart from using alcoholic ingredients. You'd soon get the hang of it, I'm sure. Let me know if you want to earn a little extra cash sometime, and I'll see what I can do."

"You just want me to do your shifts for you," Emily accused her companion.

"You have a very suspicious mind, Emily Hargreaves."

"Yeah, maybe I have, but I am _so_ right."

"Possibly so," Chris concurred, grinning mischievously at her and prompting her break into laughter.

Ten minutes later, Hailey emerged from the kitchen, picnic basket in hand. "Here, you go," she said, handing it over to Chris, who took it from her while Emily searched in her bag for her purse.

"Forget about it, Em – it's on the house."

"Hailey," the young redhead said, protesting at her friend's generosity.

"Oh pfft!" the other woman replied. "How many times did you stay late and help out for free, hey? You just come by for a proper chat before you leave and we'll call it quits, all right? I want to hear all about the big adventure I helped pay for."

"Does she know?" Chris asked when they stepped back out onto the sidewalk a few minutes later.

"About me being a witch, you mean?"

The witch-whitelighter nodded.

"No – well, not exactly. Hailey's pretty open-minded and I know she knows that there is something different about me and my family, but it's not something we talk about."

"Probably wise," Chris said. "Being open-minded is one thing, actually knowing the details is quite another."

"Yeah, I know," Emily agreed, and then laughed self-consciously, "Not that there is much to tell in my case - at least not until now anyway."

After putting the picnic basket in the trunk to keep it out of the sun, the two of them got back into the convertible and headed out of town. At the bottom of a long hill, they turned left down a narrow avenue, finally reaching a small parking lot, which was surrounded by trees to conceal it from view, a few minutes later.

Emily was pleased to note that there was only a smattering of other cars about, she guessed because it was a weekday. On hot, sunny weekends, the entire town converged on the lake, and while she enjoyed that community feel, you were doomed if you wanted any privacy.

Chris climbed out the car and stretched his long limbs, reaching his arms high above his head and cracking his knuckles. He glanced up at the clear blue sky and brilliant sun, and then down at his clothing – a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved tee.

"I'm not exactly dressed for this," he said ruefully. "It was raining in San Francisco."

Emily looked down at her own, more suitable attire – a thin cotton sundress in a deep turquoise green colour and a pair of low-heeled sandals. She also had sun cream, shades and a sun-hat stashed away in her bag.

"I'm sorry, I guess I didn't think," she apologised.

"No worries – just give me five minutes to get changed, okay?"

"Get changed where and into what?" Emily asked, confused.

Chris smiled at her puzzlement. "At home," he replied. "And something I'm not going to get heat-stroke in."

"Oh – oh right," Emily replied, finally realising what he meant. "Orbing is really kind of useful sometimes, isn't it?"

"Oh yeah - especially when you get caught short," Chris quipped.

Emily giggled and Chris laughed. "I'll be back in a minute," he said, then disappeared in a swirl of blue lights.

Five minutes later, he returned, dressed in a short-sleeved emerald-green t-shirt with a swirly silver design on the front of it, and a pair of loose, beige-coloured shorts. His feet were encased in a pair of lightweight pumps, while some snazzy shades sat perched on the top of his head.

"Better?" he asked for her approval.

"Yeah much," Emily said with a nod. "Shall we make a move then?"

"Yep – lead on," Chris said.

He picked up their picnic basket and waved her ahead of him, then followed her down the tree-lined path towards the lake…

_**To be continued…**_


	10. Picnic at the Lake part 2

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Sorry this update is a day later than promised. Hope it's worth the wait! As ever, thanks for all the reviews :-)

**Re: Trina-k – '**How are you going to get them together?' – Wait and see! 'And demons? will there be demons?' – off and on yes, but there'll be no big bad as such. This story is more about the relationships between the various characters, so the magic/demons are only in the background.

**Re: Victorious Light **– as I said last chapter, Oakenvale is a made-up place. However, it is very loosely based on a small town that I visited whilst I was on holiday once. (Hope, just outside of Vancouver in Canada if you're interested!).

**Re: IcantthinkofaFnick – **I know you wanted Wyatt/Emily, so no worries. Sorry, but I guess given all the speculation, some readers were going to be disappointed whichever way I jumped. I hope the Wyatt/Chloe relationship makes up for it. In the next chapter though - this one is Chris and Emily again!

Anyhow, back to the picnic…

**

* * *

Chapter 10 **

As they emerged from the trees and out into the bright sunlight, the path split off in two directions - one part led down to the large picnic area on the water's edge, while the other headed off around the lake.

"Not that way," Emily said, when Chris immediately took the trail down towards the shore.

"It's much prettier round the other side," she explained off his enquiring look. "Most people are too lazy to walk there though. They park their cars and head for the nearest place to sit down and relax."

Chris nodded as they set off down the shady path that circumvented the oval-shaped lake. "Good things come to those who wait," he remarked sagely.

'_God, I hope so,' _Emily thought to herself, shooting him a resigned, sidelong glance as they walked along, side by side. Out loud, she agreed with him. "So they say, yeah – it's certainly true of this place."

As they continued to wander down the gravel path, talking idly of everything and nothing, a bolt of guilt suddenly struck Emily. She had come close to turning this tour into a date by suggesting this picnic, she realised, although she doubted Chris saw it that way. Bianca, on the other hand, was an entirely different matter.

"Bianca won't mind about this, will she?" she blurted out awkwardly, needing to be sure.

Chris shook his head with a smile. "You worry too much about stuff like that, Emily," he told her. "Bianca knows we're just friends, and she also knows I would never do anything to deliberately hurt her. If I thought she'd have a problem with it, then I wouldn't be here, okay?"

"Okay," Emily agreed in a whisper, dropping her gaze to her feet.

Who was she kidding? It didn't matter how long she waited – Chris was never going to look at her as anything other than a friend. She just had to learn to accept that somehow, because his friendship was something she was beginning to value as much as she would have done his love.

"You're very trusting of each other," she said to cover up her emotional confusion.

Chris let out a short laugh. "Well, I kind of have to be – otherwise I'd go crazy. Men come on to Bianca all the time – she's got that killer combination, you see – striking looks, a brain to go with them _and_ money. I never did understand why she chose me."

"Probably because a lot of men are only after the first and last of those three things," Emily told him.

"And you think I'm not?"

"I think that money doesn't mean all that much to you," Emily said slowly. "And while I'm sure you notice the fact that she's got a great body – I mean, you're a man, after all…"

"And we're all obsessed with sex, right?" Chris cut in with amusement.

"Well duh!" Emily said teasingly with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

Chris chuckled good-naturedly. "Well thanks; it's nice to know that the fairer sex know exactly how we think!"

Emily giggled at his jest. "Anyway, as I was saying – you don't care about her money, and while you think she's hot, you'd be bored if she was just an airhead."

"I'd have to agree with that, yeah."

"Sounds like a killer combination to me," Emily said, echoing his earlier comment.

Chris grinned at her and then hefted the picnic basket in his arms. "Are we nearly there?" he asked plaintively. "This is getting kind of heavy. What did your friend put in here? A seven course banquet?"

Emily laughed. "I wouldn't put it past her," she told him. "And, don't worry; it's only a few minutes more walk."

Sure enough, five minutes later, they reached a fork in the path and Emily led Chris down through the trees to a small, secluded spot near the water's edge. Several large willow trees provided some much needed shade over to one side, but the rest of the open space was bathed in golden sunlight. It was quiet, save for the chirping of the birds and the gentle lapping of the water against the smooth silver-grey rocks, which lined the shore.

"Wow!" Chris said, drinking in the delightful surroundings and gazing out over the blue-green surface of the lake in wonder. "It's beautiful."

"Yeah, I know," Emily agreed, as she shook out the blanket she'd brought with her from the car and laid it out flat on the lush grass. "It's my favourite spot in Oakenvale. I used to come here all the time. It's a great place if you want somewhere to sit and think about things."

"Ahh – you mean like the Bridge."

"The Bridge?" Emily enquired.

"The Golden Gate Bridge," Chris said, looking over his shoulder at her. "That's my sitting and thinking place."

Emily frowned. "Isn't that kind of noisy with all the traffic?"

Chris walked over to join her. "Not if you go right to the top," he said, sitting down next to her on the blanket.

"How do you…?" Emily started to ask, and then realised. "Oh right - you orb - of course."

"That must be a pretty spectacular view," she commented as an after-thought.

Chris nodded. "Yeah, it is. I'll take you up there sometime if you like."

"Oh – oh no way, José," Emily replied with a shudder. "Not unless I'm wearing a safety-harness you're not."

Chris laughed. "I wouldn't let you fall," he assured her.

'_Too late, I already have,'_ Emily thought to herself, and then immediately tried to push that distracting thought aside. It was no use dwelling on things. Rather than agonising of the fact that it wasn't what she secretly hoped for, she should simply be trying to enjoy this time with him for what it was instead. Was just friendship really so bad?

"You hungry?" she asked, pulling the picnic basket towards her and removing the cover.

Chris nodded eagerly. "Am I ever," he replied fervently.

"Okay then, so what do we have?" Emily said, reaching into the basket and pulling out several of the plastic containers neatly stashed inside.

She popped open the largest of the white opaque boxes to find it full to the brim with freshly prepared salad; another container held some homemade coleslaw and another two servings of juicy king prawns. Inside two foil-wrapped bundles, they discovered several pieces of cold, roasted chicken, and two generous slices of vegetable quiche.

"Your friend sure knows how to put together the perfect picnic hamper," Chris commented, as Emily delved into the basket once again and pulled out a loaf of crusty bread, a tub of soft cream cheese, and a range of small plastic pots, each containing a different salad dressing. Plates, napkins, cutlery and a large knife quickly followed - and finally, two glasses and a bottle of lemon soda.

"I hope that's it," Chris said with a laugh, surveying the veritable feast laid out before them.

Emily grinned. "For the first course, yeah," she said. "You better leave some room for dessert though – Hailey's chocolate brownies are to die for."

A companionable silence reigned as they tucked into their meal with relish, however as Emily cut herself another slice of bread and liberally spread it with the cream cheese, she felt Chris's eyes upon her.

"What?" she asked, lifting her blue eyes to meet his steady gaze.

His lips curled up into a slow smile, the expression warming her from the inside out. "Anybody would think we hadn't eaten anything for weeks," he said laughingly.

"I didn't have much breakfast," Emily defended.

"Oh, I wasn't criticizing," Chris rushed to assure her. "I think it's great that you enjoy your food. Women who just pick at their meals annoy the hell out of me. It took me ages to break Bianca of the habit."

"Well – you might think it's a good thing, but I'm not sure my waistline would agree with you," Emily said, patting her slightly rounded belly for emphasis.

Chris shook his head with a sigh. "Emily, you look good, okay? You're not even remotely overweight. Take it from me - healthy curves like yours are much more attractive than the emaciated look that most female TV stars seem to be sporting nowadays. And I'm pretty sure the majority of men would agree with me too."

Emily blushed at the absently given compliment, but grinned at the earnest lecture on healthy eating as well. "Okay, point taken – you can get off your soap-box now," she teased.

Chris grinned back at her. "Sorry," he said. "It's an issue that cuts pretty close to home for me, I guess. One of my cousins took her dieting a bit too far a few years back - all because some kid at school made a smart-ass comment about her non-existent weight problem."

Emily nodded in understanding. "She's alright now though?" she asked.

"Oh yeah sure, she's fine. Don't get me wrong, it's not as if she developed anorexia or anything, she just went a bit over the top, that's all."

"Well," Emily said, pulling out the last of the containers from the picnic basket. "I was always taught that a little bit of what you fancy does you good. So, on that note, I think I might just sample one of these chocolate brownies.

"You want one too?" she asked, offering him the box.

"Oh I think I could be persuaded," Chris said, reaching in and taking a square.

Getting to his feet, he wandered down the water's edge, munching on the rich cake. "Is the water okay to swim in?" he asked, after a few moments of silent contemplation.

"Yeah," Emily told him, licking the last of the melted chocolate brownie from her fingers. "Dumping garbage and the like is strictly forbidden here, and everyone respects that rule. If they don't, they end up with a hefty fine to pay."

Chris nodded. "So how about it?" he asked, looking questionably over his shoulder at her.

Emily glanced down at her sundress. "I don't have my swimming things," she said.

Chris grinned cheekily at her in response but chose not to say anything.

Emily shot him a steady look, knowing full well that he wasn't even remotely serious about the idea. This was a guy, who was effortlessly faithful to his girlfriend - probably because the majority of women would struggle to compete with Bianca's flawless beauty and sophistication, of course - but still.

"Dream on, buster," she told him sardonically. "Your girlfriend might not be the jealous type, but skinny-dipping would definitely be over-stepping the mark."

Chris laughed. "Yeah, I know," he said gravely. "I was only joking around. We could easily go and get your bathing costume if you want though – your apartment is just an orb away."

Emily considered it – a swim did sound rather appealing, come to think of it. It was the perfect weather for it, after all. Living in San Francisco now, she wouldn't get the chance to indulge in the previously frequent summer pastime much anymore either.

"Okay," she agreed, rising to her feet and picking up her bag.

Chris hopped off the rock that he'd been standing on and moved over to join her. Emily cast a quick glance at the remains of their picnic. "You think it's all right to leave this?" she asked.

Chris nodded. "We'll be no more than a minute – maybe even less than that."

"Okay," Emily said, taking his offered hand.

Moments later, she was back in her San Francisco apartment. Leaving Chris waiting in the lounge, she went through into the bedroom and quickly retrieved one of her bikinis from a drawer. After slipping her swimwear on under her dress, she went back into the living room, grabbing a couple of towels from the linen closet on the way. The whole process took less than a minute as Chris had predicted.

"Ready?" he asked, holding out his hand towards her as she rejoined him.

"Yes, but don't you need to…," Emily broke off and waved her hand towards the ceiling to illustrate her point.

"Been there, done that," Chris told her with a grin, and then orbed them back to the lake.

"Weird!" Emily said, shaking her head as she tried to get her brain around the distances involved in their back and forth State hop.

"Whitelighters need to be able to get to their charges at a moment's notice - wherever they are in the world," Chris explained, as he tugged his t-shirt off over his head and tossed it to one side. "Orbing enables them to do that."

"So you and Wyatt have charges then?" Emily asked curiously, bending down to unbuckle her sandals.

"Not as such," Chris replied, sitting on the grass beside her as he unlaced his pumps, "At least not in the sense that true whitelighters do anyway. We weren't called for duty on our deaths, you see - we're only whitelighters by virtue of our parentage. We do our bit, sure, but it's not a full-time thing and the Elders rarely assign us any specific charges."

Finally plucking up the nerve, Emily stood up, unzipped her dress and shyly stepped out of it. Because she felt distinctly self-conscious exposing so much bare flesh in front of Chris, the bikini she'd chosen was one of her most modest. She knew her attitude was just plain crazy - considering that she used to swim in public at the lake all the time - but she couldn't help the way she felt.

Her companion appeared to have no such qualms however, as he stripped to reveal a pair of loose black swimming shorts. Probably because he wasn't struggling to suppress an underlying attraction to his swim buddy like she was, Emily thought ruefully to herself as she tried not to ogle the smooth contours of muscle that dissected his lightly tanned shoulders and back.

To distract herself, she pulled out her suntan lotion from her bag, and began to apply it liberally to her arms, legs and exposed torso. Being fair-skinned, she was liable to burn if she wasn't careful, so she took her time and made sure not to miss anywhere.

"Won't the water just wash it off?" Chris asked.

Emily shook her head. "No – it's the water-resistant stuff," she said. "I need it or I'll end up looking like a boiled lobster tomorrow."

Chris smiled at the analogy. "Do you want me to put some on your back for you?" he offered, holding his hand out for the lotion.

Trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach, Emily reluctantly gave the bottle to him, knowing she didn't have much choice in the matter.

Oblivious to her plight, Chris knelt down behind her and squeezed a generous dollop of lotion into the palm of his hand. He made quick work of the task, completing it in less than a minute, but the tingling touch of his warm hands against her bare skin set Emily's heart to racing nevertheless.

'_Oh, so not good,' _she silently chastised herself, _'Get a grip, Em!'_

Emily was so focused on combating her inner emotional turmoil that she failed to notice that Chris had surreptitiously set the bottle of suntan lotion to one side. So, when he unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, she jumped out of her skin and gasped aloud.

As their bodies dissolved into twinkling blue lights, his intention suddenly became clear and Emily found herself experiencing a rather unique dunking as a result. In contrast to the heat of the afternoon sun, the water was cold and goose bumps broke out over her flesh, causing her to squeal in reaction. She resurfaced coughing and spluttering, much to her companion's obvious amusement.

"Ha! Gotcha!" he crowed in delight, grinning widely at her, his green eyes sparkling with mischief.

Emily laughed at his boyish posturing, despite her shock. "That's cheating!" she accused, splashing him with water in retaliation.

Chris chuckled. "Sorry," he apologised, "But you were off with the fairies somewhere, and I just couldn't resist."

Emily blushed and quickly immersed herself in the water again to hide her flushed cheeks. She was just grateful that Chris didn't have a clue about the direction her thoughts had been taking. It was beginning to be a real problem and she was worried that her growing feelings for him would soon start to become obvious. She could imagine the humiliation of the classic 'I like you, but only as a friend' speech even now.

Needing to put some distance between the two of them for a while, she swam out towards the centre of the lake, her arms cutting through the water like propeller blades. About eighty or so metres from the shore, she turned over onto her back and began to swim in a wide circle, using the least amount of effort necessary to keep herself afloat. Her agitation gradually faded away, and a feeling of calm descended over her as she absently mused over the shapes of fluffy white clouds in the sky.

Now that her emotions were back under control, she realised that she might have been a little rude and so she raised her head, looking about for Chris. Following her example, he had also swum a way out from the shore. He was simply floating flat on his back however, barely even moving, and Emily frowned, wondering how he was managing to stop himself from sinking like a stone to the bottom of the lake.

Her curiosity getting the better of her, she swam over to join him. "Hey!"

Chris turned his head to look at her. "Hey!" he responded quietly.

"How are you doing that?" she asked.

"What this?" he said. He made a slight downward gesture with his hands, and seemingly raised his body out of the water a little way.

"Yeah that."

"Telekinesis and Physics."

"Huh?"

Chris righted himself and began to tread water. "I was pushing the water away from me," he explained. "And Newton's Third Law of Motion says that…"

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction," Emily quoted. "Okay, so that's clever."

"Well, I try my best," Chris said, preening slightly. "Why don't you give it a go?" he suggested.

"Yeah right!" Emily let out a short, ironic laugh. "With my control, it'd be a disaster."

"Maybe so, but it'd also be kind of amusing."

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to make fun of other people's misfortune?"

Chris chuckled. "Yeah, and she also taught me that you never know what you're capable of unless you try."

"Reverse psychology – very nice. All right – bring on the ritual humiliation."

"Okay, just lie back and relax," Chris said, after they'd swum a little closer to the shore so that they were no longer out of their depth. As Emily lay back in the water, he reached out to support her, one hand under her shoulder blades and the other arm crooked under her knees.

"Now try to feel the water underneath you. Imagine it's a blanket or something. Got it?"

"I think so," Emily murmured, closing her eyes to aid in her efforts.

"All right – just push it down and hold it there."

Emily did as he told her, surprised at how easy it was. Chris took his arms away and she was keeping herself afloat purely with her telekinesis power. However, as she'd predicted, her control soon began to slip and she sank lower in the water as a result.

Gathering her reserves of strength, she pushed the water away from her again, unfortunately with a little bit too much force. Capsizing like a boat, she went under, inadvertently swallowing a huge mouthful of lake water in the process. Rising to the surface, she was overcome by a violent coughing fit as her body attempted to expel the excess liquid from her lungs.

"Whoa! Are you okay?" Chris asked, grabbing her hand and arm to hold her up as she coughed and spluttered uncontrollably.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," she said, holding onto his shoulder as she breathed in deeply and refilled her lungs with oxygen.

"Time to head back to shore?" Chris suggested when she eventually raised her gaze to his face.

Emily laughed ruefully. "That might be a good idea."

The two of them swam back over to the picnic spot and emerged, dripping, from the water. Emily wrapped herself in one of the towels and passed the other one to Chris, who took it from her gratefully and quickly dried himself off.

After that, he wandered down to the water's edge and idly began to skim stones across the lake's surface. Still wrapped in her towel, Emily sat down and watched him quietly for a while, then cast it aside and lay back on the grass, closing her eyes with a sigh...

"Emily? Emily – wake up!"

Emily jumped, suddenly coming awake, not even realising she'd fallen asleep. Opening her eyes, she saw Chris squatting down beside her, fully dressed again.

"How long have I been asleep?" she asked groggily, sitting up.

"Not long," Chris told her, "Ten, fifteen minutes at most. Look, I'm sorry, but I've have to go. Bianca's calling for me and she sounds kind of upset. Her Dad must have been a bigger jerk than usual today."

"Oh, oh right, okay. I'll …" Emily stopped as Chris's attention turned elsewhere, his green eyes shadowing with concern.

"I'm sorry, but I really have to go," he repeated. "Thanks, it was fun."

With that rather abrupt farewell, he vanished in a plume of blue lights, leaving Emily feeling inexplicably abandoned. Hugging her legs to her chest, she sank her face into her knees, blinking back the tears that pricked at the back of her eyelids. She sat there like that for a few moments, and then lifted her head and wiped away the few salty droplets that had escaped to run down her cheeks.

Rising resolutely to her feet, she got dressed and gathered up the discarded picnic things. Then, tucking the damp towels into the top of the basket, she headed off down the path towards the parking lot. A confusion of conflicting thoughts whirled around inside her head as she walked.

How on earth did she get herself into this mess? It wasn't as if Chris had ever done anything to encourage her misplaced affections. He was warm, friendly and gently teasing towards her, but he was like that with everyone. So why was she so upset by his brusque departure?

Because it only emphasised the strength of his loyalty to his girlfriend. Bianca demanded his attention and a relaxing afternoon with 'just a friend' immediately slid to the bottom of the list of his priorities. Not that she could actually reproach him for that attitude – it was only right and proper, after all.

Why did it hurt so much then? Emily wanted to scream with frustration. How could she have let her heart rule her head in this way? Here she was, stuck in a Catch-22 situation – she couldn't turn off her emotions and yet she couldn't act on them either. In addition, the more time she spent in his company, the stronger her feelings for him got.

What the hell was she going to do?

_**To be continued…**_

**_P.S. _**Sorry about the Physics lesson, but I like to make my stories educational! LOL!


	11. Recuperation

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **New update for you all :-)

Thanks for all the reviews – glad you like the story. I'm really enjoying writing it.

**

* * *

Chapter 11 **

**_Saturday, nine am, approximately three weeks later…_**

"Chloe!" Leann Simpson admonished her daughter, looking disapprovingly at the comforter dumped in an untidy heap on the lounge floor.

From her position on the couch, Chloe let out an exasperated sigh and wearily rolled her eyes. Her Mom was going to drive her up the wall in no time at all if she kept up this constant mollycoddling.

"Mom – it's over eighty degrees outside – I do not need a cover, okay?"

"Chloe, you were only discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon."

"And this is significant how?"

"Because you need to…," Leann broke off at the musical jingle of the doorbell. "Do not move," she sternly ordered her daughter, noticing how the young woman immediately sat up in anticipation at the sound.

Huffing out her breath from between pursed lips, Chloe flopped back against the cushions as her Mom went to answer the front door. Almost immediately, there came the sound of voices from the hallway and she strained to hear what was being said, unfortunately to no avail. Half a minute later, Emily popped her head round the doorframe though.

"Hey! How's the invalid?" she asked, crossing the room and leaning down to give her cousin an affectionate hug.

"I'm fine," Chloe said, warmly returning the embrace.

Emily released her and Chloe glanced expectantly at the door. Disappointed to find that she only had one visitor, she looked enquiringly at her cousin. "Didn't Wyatt orb you?" she asked.

Emily allowed the smile she'd been suppressing to spread over her face before she put her cousin out of her misery. "Yeah, but he had to get straight back – a demonic emergency apparently."

"Oh."

"He said to tell you he'll be back later to give you that final blast of healing power."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Actually, I've been thinking about that," Chloe said then. "I mean Wyatt couldn't heal me all at once because of the danger of exposing magic, right?"

"Right, but you're out of the hospital now."

"This is a small town though, Emily. If I'm suddenly walking around perfectly healthy, people are gonna talk."

"I guess."

"Surely you want to be healed, honey," Leann said, perching on the end of the sofa and shooting her daughter a concerned look.

"Yes Mom, of course I do. That's why I think that I should take a vacation – you know to recuperate?"

Leann frowned in puzzlement. "A vacation where?" she asked.

"Umm – San Francisco?" Chloe suggested brightly, her violet-blue eyes wide and innocent. "I could stay with Emily – that's if she doesn't mind, of course."

Emily bit back a smile. She suspected that this vacation idea had very little to do with not exposing magic, and a whole lot to do with ensnaring a certain witch-whitelighter. Chloe was nothing if not persistent when she decided she wanted something. It would be fun to have her cousin stay with her for a while however.

"No, no – mi casa es tu casa, you know that," she therefore said, earning herself a grateful smile from Chloe.

"Sweetie, I don't know," Leann said, reluctant to let her precious daughter out of her sight after all the worry of the past few weeks.

Chloe's eyes softened in understanding and she reached out to lace her fingers through her mother's.

"Mom – once Wyatt has fully healed me, I'm going to be fine," she said gently. "If I have to hide away at home for weeks on end, pretending I'm still recovering though, I'm going to go stir-crazy."

Her mother nodded, but still didn't look entirely sold on the idea.

"I'm sure Wyatt wouldn't mind orbing you to San Francisco for a couple of day trips," Chloe added by way of an extra inducement. "Just think – we can see all the sights and max out Dad's credit card too!"

Leann laughed at that. "All right, I think you've persuaded me," she said, finally giving in.

"Cool!"

"And don't think I don't know the real reason behind this little escapade, my girl," she added, fixing her daughter with a pointed look.

"I don't know what you mean," Chloe replied artlessly, her cheeks tingeing pink.

"Of course not," her mother said knowingly.

Chloe giggled. "Well, you can hardly blame me can you?"

Leann shook her head with a chuckle. "The poor boy's not gonna know what hit him."

_**

* * *

Early afternoon, the same day… **_

"Ready?" Wyatt asked, as he knelt down on the carpet next to the sofa.

Chloe nodded in answer, not trusting herself to speak. Release from the nagging pain of her underlying injuries would be a welcome relief to be quite frank. Aware of the nasty scare that her accident had given her family, and knowing she was lucky to be alive, she hadn't wanted to complain too much. She didn't know how much longer she would have been able to keep up the brave front however.

Wyatt extended his hands over her mid-section and she involuntarily tensed, digging her fingers into the sofa cushions. Seconds later, she felt the now familiar sensation of his healing power take over her body. It was different this time though – it went on for longer for a start, and she could almost feel her damaged cells repairing themselves under its soothing yellow glow.

Eventually, the young witch-whitelighter lowered his hands, and Chloe let out her breath with a whoosh as she realised that the pain was finally gone. New energy flooded her body and she sat up, swinging her legs around and placing her feet flat on the floor. Wyatt stood and offered her his hand to help her up. Slipping her fingers into his, she rose tentatively to her feet. Her legs were still a little shaky, but otherwise she felt fine.

Before she could say anything to that effect though, she was engulfed in her mother's tight embrace. Forced to let go of her hand, Wyatt stepped back, allowing her to return the hug. Overcome with emotion, Chloe lifted her arms to encircle her Mom's waist and buried her face against the older woman's collarbone, inhaling her familiar perfume.

"Okay – so breathing would be good," she said after a while and her mother reluctantly released her. Almost immediately, her father stepped forward and enfolded her in a bear hug however.

"I don't know how we're ever going to repay you," Leann said to Wyatt, tears of relief and gratitude glistening in her eyes.

"There's no need, I'm just glad I could be of help."

"You must stay to dinner," Leann decided.

"I'd love to – only there's somewhere I've got to be tonight," Wyatt told her, politely declining the offer. "Another time maybe?"

Leann nodded. "Yes, we'll do that."

"Okay - so I guess we should get going then?" Chloe asked, pulling out of her Dad's arms and looking over at Wyatt.

The blond witch-whitelighter glanced at his watch and nodded. "You and Emily don't have to come back with me now though," he said. "I can pop back later to fetch you if you like."

Chloe shook her head. "No, we'll come now," she decided.

She loved her Mom and Dad, but their overwhelming concern was beginning to grate on her nerves. She hoped that after a few days separation, the shock of her accident would have worn off and they would be back to their easy-going selves.

She and Emily had hugged and kissed her parents goodbye, and then they moved into a small huddle with Wyatt and her two suitcases.

"Brace yourself," her cousin warned as their companion gestured with his hands to orb them and her luggage back to San Fransisco.

Chloe's world tipped on its axis as her surroundings suddenly blurred and changed. "Whoa!" she said, staggering slightly as her field of reference coalesced into what she assumed must be Emily's apartment.

Wyatt caught her round the waist and solicitously helped her over to an armchair. Chloe sank gratefully into the cushions and closed her eyes, trying to quell the nausea churning in her belly.

"Here."

She opened her eyes to find Emily offering her a glass of water, while Wyatt hovered anxiously nearby. Taking a few sips of the cool liquid, she drew in some deep breaths and gradually the queasy feeling subsided.

"Okay, I think I'm alright now," she said.

"I never known orbing to affect anyone so badly before," Wyatt said worriedly.

"It's okay," Chloe reassured him with a smile. "It's probably just because my energies are a bit off balance at the moment, what with the accident and everything."

Wyatt nodded, obviously accepting her explanation. "All right," he said. "I guess I better get back before I get accused of slacking off."

"From what?" Chloe asked curiously.

"The preparations for the party tonight," Wyatt replied. "Bianca decided it's been far too long since we had a get together, so she roped me and Chris into organising something. Seeing as the weather is so good, we're holding it outside around the pool. You're both invited, of course. It starts at seven thirty."

He turned to Emily. "We would have invited you sooner, but you've been MIA a lot these last couple of weeks."

Out of the corner of her eye, Chloe noticed her cousin shifting uncomfortably at that, and she made a mental note to question her about it when she got the chance. Now though, she smiled congenially up at Wyatt.

"Till tonight then," she said softly, deliberately loading her voice with a certain amount of emphasis.

"Yes, till tonight," Wyatt returned, holding her gaze for a moment before orbing out.

Chloe got to her feet, glad to discover her earlier dizziness was all but gone. "Okay – so we need to go shopping," she announced.

"Huh?" Emily asked. "What for?"

"I haven't got anything to wear."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Chloe, I spent two hours this morning packing up almost an entire closet of your stuff."

"Yes, but none of it's suitable."

"Suitable for what?" Emily asked laughingly.

Chloe gave her cousin a look. "As if you didn't know."

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about," Emily teased, then laughed as her cousin childishly poked her tongue out at her.

"Let's just say I need an outfit that'll encourage a certain someone to get to know me better," Chloe said. "Nothing too trashy, just something that'll hopefully persuade him to ask me out on a date at long last."

"He just did, didn't he?"

"No, he invited me – and you - to a party, there's a difference."

"Oh right, of course – my bad."

Chloe placed her hands on her hips. "Are you going to help me or not?" she demanded impatiently.

Emily laughed, then picked up her purse and headed over towards the door. "Come on then," she said over her shoulder. "Let's go."

"You should look for something yourself," Chloe told her as they walked down the corridor towards the elevator. "I'm sure they'll be plenty of cute guys there tonight – you never know, you could get lucky."

Several hours later, Emily stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom, surveying her reflection in the glass. After much coaxing, Chloe had persuaded her to part with her hard-earned dollars and buy a new outfit for the occasion.

The dress was a classic, strapless black number with a fitted bodice, nipped-in waist and a slightly flared skirt that fell to just below the knee. She had left her glossy red hair loose, but had put in a couple of diamante slides to add extra interest to the casual style. A silver heart-shaped necklace and matching earrings completed the look. Unfortunately, her heart wasn't really in it, not when she couldn't have the man she so desperately wanted.

She had avoided all social contact with Chris since the day of the picnic, needing to put some distance between them for a while. It hadn't been all that difficult - in between work, trips to the hospital to see Chloe – she always asked Wyatt to orb her – there hadn't been that much time for socialising anyway. The little free time she did have, she spent alone or with her work colleagues. Consequently, she hadn't spoken more than a passing hello to the youngest Halliwell in nearly ten days.

A light knock on the door pulled her out of her gloomy thoughts. "Come in," she called.

Chloe pushed open the door and entered the room. "So, what do you think?" she asked, lifting her arms out to her sides and giving Emily a twirl.

Despite her melancholy mood, Emily couldn't help but smile at her cousin's excited anticipation. Chloe looked beautiful as ever, although she was thinner and slightly paler than usual – symptoms of her accident that Wyatt's power couldn't completely heal.

She'd chosen a pretty, knee length wrap-around dress in a deep purple-blue colour. The garment had short sleeves and the simple shape subtly highlighted the natural, feminine curves of her slender body. Her feet were encased in a pair of low-heeled sandals, while a large, teardrop-shaped pendant hung from her neck.

She had piled her blonde hair messily atop her head, leaving several strands free to frame her face. Like her cousin, she had also twisted several sparkly hair accessories into the style to add some decoration. The look was understated and yet still drew the eye. Emily was pretty sure it would achieve the desired effect, especially as Wyatt had only ever seen Chloe clad in the most casual clothing up until now.

"He won't be able to take his eyes off you," she warmly assured her cousin, who threw her a brilliant smile in return.

"Well let's hope so," Chloe said emphatically. "You ready?"

Not wanting to spoil her cousin's fun, Emily forced herself to nod and smile in response. "Yep – let's go."

As they stepped out of the elevator on the ground floor, the sound of laughter and music drifted in from outside. They went out into the garden and looked around. In addition to the outside lighting that the apartment block already possessed, twinkling fairy lights had been strung up in the trees, creating a party atmosphere.

A large trestle table over to one side was ladened with all kinds of snacks and nibbles, and a huge bowel of punch stood in the midst of various bottles of both soft and alcoholic drinks. There were already quite of number of people milling around, most of whom Emily didn't recognise.

"Over there," Chloe said, lightly touching her cousin's shoulder and pointing to where Chris, Wyatt and Bianca were deep in conversation with a young couple of about their own age.

Emily vaguely recognised the woman as one of Bianca's friends, but the man was a stranger to her. Weaving their way through the growing number of partygoers, the two girls crossed to join the little group sitting by the pool.

"Hey!" Chloe said, her soft greeting distracting them from their tête-à-tête.

Studiously avoiding looking at Chris, Emily's gaze fell on Wyatt instead and she saw his blue eyes widen a little as he lifted his head and spotted Chloe standing there.

"Hey!" he said, quickly rising to his feet. "Wow! You look… well… great."

Chloe visibly glowed at the compliment. "Thanks," she said, ducking her gaze and looking shyly up at him through her eyelashes.

"So… umm… do you want a drink?" Wyatt asked, a little awkwardly.

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, yeah, that would be nice," she said, also somewhat tongue-tied and overly self-conscious.

Wyatt gestured for her to go ahead of him and the two of them made their way over to the drinks table.

"So that's the potential, huh?" Bianca's friend commented as she watched them walk away. "Funny – she's not quite what I was expecting."

Emily stiffened at that. What the hell did that mean?

"Sarah, Ryan – this is Emily," Bianca said, obviously trying to divert her friend onto a different subject.

The couple nodded at her in greeting. "Chris and Wyatt's potion-maker, right?" Ryan asked with interest.

"Umm – yeah, I guess," Emily replied, rather bemused by the title.

Chris laughed. "Geez Ryan, you make it sound as if we own her or something," he said reprovingly.

"Sorry," Ryan said to Emily. "I didn't mean it like that."

Emily waved off his apology, while Chris pushed back his chair and got to his feet.

"Sit down," he said, touching her lightly on the back and sending involuntary shivers down her spine. "I'll get you a drink."

"It seems my brother got a bit distracted and forgot his manners," he added with a grin. "Is punch okay?"

Emily nodded and sat down in the chair that Wyatt had vacated, while Chris strode confidently across the patio to get her a drink. "Chloe's a good person," she said to Sarah, feeling the need to defend her cousin.

"Oh, I'm sure she is," Sarah replied airily. "She just doesn't seem to be Wyatt's usual type, that's all."

Bianca laughed at that. "And since when does he have a type?" she asked.

"Well, he normally goes for brunettes for a start."

"That's just coincidence. Honestly Sarah, you have some weird notions sometimes," Bianca remonstrated her friend. "Don't listen to her, Emily – she doesn't have a clue what she's talking about. Wyatt's got one major thing for your cousin, believe me. It's been 'Chloe this' and 'Chloe that' for weeks now."

"So you think he's gonna finally make his move tonight?" Sarah asked her friend with interest.

"I think that's a distinct possibility," Chris answered as he rejoined them and handed Emily her glass of punch.

"Allison's gonna be pig sick, you know," Sarah remarked with obvious amusement.

"Who's Allison?" Emily asked.

"My brother's stalker," Chris replied, sitting back down in his chair. "Actually I'm surprised she isn't here yet – she usually turns up ages before anyone else."

"That's because I told her the party didn't start till eight-thirty," Bianca told him with a wide smile.

"Oh, you are so bad!" Sarah said, breaking into peals of delighted laughter.

"That's my girl," Chris said, throwing a warm, affectionate smile at his grinning girlfriend before turning to Emily.

"She's been trying to tempt Wyatt with her feminine wiles for months now," he explained. "He's never been remotely interested, but that doesn't seem to faze her at all. I think she's convinced herself that if she tries hard enough, and for long enough, he'll eventually give in."

"Unfortunately, your cousin has thrown a rather big spanner into that little plan," Bianca cut in. "I can imagine the look on her face already."

"Yep – it's definitely going to be sucking lemons time," Sarah observed before both her and Bianca dissolved into raucous giggles.

Ryan rolled his eyes at the two girl's behaviour. "Women are amused by such odd things, don't you think?" he commented to Chris, earning himself an indignant punch on the arm from his girlfriend.

As the friendly banter continued to bounce back and forth between the two couples seated either side of her, Emily sat quietly and sipped at her drink, feeling distinctly out of place. Glancing around the garden, she spotted Wyatt and Chloe seated together on a wooden bench in an out of the way corner. They were deep in conversation, completely absorbed in each other's company, and Emily could tell from her cousin's body language that things were going well.

"Hey – are you okay?"

Emily turned at the sound of Chris's voice. She'd been so out of it that she hadn't noticed that the little group had broken up. Bianca and Sarah were now standing nearby talking to two other women, obviously close friends given the peals of laughter that kept erupting from amongst them. Ryan was nowhere to be seen, so it was just her and Chris.

"Yeah – I'm just a bit tired, I guess," she said quietly.

"It's been a rough few weeks, huh?" Chris sympathised, "What with Chloe's accident and everything, I mean."

Emily nodded miserably - it was the 'everything' that was the root cause of the problem, of course, but she could hardly tell Chris that. So instead, she tried to explain away her lacklustre mood as a delayed response to the traumatic events of the past month or so. After all, it wasn't a complete lie; it just wasn't the whole truth.

"Sorry to be such a wet blanket," she said softly. "I guess it's finally hitting me how close I came to losing her. Maybe I shouldn't have come tonight. Chloe was so looking forward to it though, and I couldn't let her down."

"Of course you should have come," Chris said firmly. "It wouldn't have been the same without you. Besides, it's the perfect opportunity for you to meet some of our friends. If you're going to be helping me and Wyatt out on a regular basis, you should probably get to know them better."

He stood up and looked down at her expectantly. "Come on – I'll introduce you."

Emily set her glass aside and reluctantly got to her feet. Under normal circumstances, meeting new people would have been fun, but tonight she simply didn't feel all that much like socialising. Still, it was rude not to make the effort, so she squared her shoulders, painted a fixed smile on her face, and prepared to mingle.

_**To be continued…**_


	12. Happiness and Heartbreak

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Okay, I'm on a creative roll with this story again, so I'm going with it until it runs out of steam. The frequency of the updates will slow down when that happens, but at the moment, it seems to be coming together really well :-)

This is where the story starts to 'hot up' so to speak. That means that there's the possibility of adult situations from here on in. As I've said before, it'll be nothing too graphic, but you'll definitely get the idea of what's going on! This chapter is fairly tame though.

Replies to reviews at the end.

**

* * *

Chapter 12 **

Chloe sat perched on the edge of the wooden bench, surveying the scene before her. The sun was just about to dip below the horizon, and the secluded part of the garden that she and Wyatt were sitting in had descended into shadows as a consequence. The party was now in full swing, an eclectic mixture of music filling the air and encouraging people out onto the makeshift dance-floor by the pool.

As Chloe's gaze swept the crowd, her aura-sensing power suddenly kicked in and she felt a wave of hostility coming from one of the partygoers. It didn't take her long to locate the culprit. A tall woman with jet-black hair cut into a blunt, jaw-length bob, stood next to the drinks table, glaring at her with barely concealed enmity glittering in her dark eyes.

'_Okay, so what's her problem?_' Chloe thought to herself.

Warm, gentle fingers brushed against her cheek then, and she immediately turned back to her companion, the unexplainable antagonism of the dark-haired stranger forgotten.

"It was in your eyes," Wyatt explained as he delicately tucked a stray strand of her blonde hair behind her ear.

"It wasn't just an excuse to touch me then?" Chloe queried, unintentionally voicing her inner thoughts. Realising what she'd inadvertently done, she froze, waiting for a reaction from the young man sitting next to her.

Wyatt looked a little taken aback and she could have sworn he blushed - although in the fading light it was difficult to tell. It took an age, but eventually he answered her.

"Maybe," he conceded with a small, upward quirk of his lips.

'_Okay, so perhaps being a bit more forward is the way to go,'_ Chloe decided, her heart leaping inside of her chest at his quiet admittance.

"So are you going to ask me out already or what?"

Wyatt chuckled, his blue eyes regarding her with gentle amusement. "Well that depends," he replied archly.

"On what?"

"On whether you're going to say yes or not."

Encouraged, Chloe leaned in a little closer to him. "I think the odds on that are pretty good," she told him in a beguiling tone.

"Okaay, so maybe I could take you on a tour of the sights of San Francisco tomorrow?"

"Yes, I think I'd like that."

"Good, it's a date then."

"Yes, yes it is," Chloe said, and then turned the full force of her winsome smile upon him.

Letting out his breath in relieved huff, Wyatt visibly relaxed. Chloe was amazed at his insecurity, given who he was, but she had to admit she found it extremely appealing. It let her know that their budding relationship was just as important to him as it was to her. It also helped allay some of her fears about letting herself fall in love again, after Paul had so callously stamped all over her heart the last time.

Sitting back on the wooden seat, she shifted closer to Wyatt, turning her head and smiling softly at him when the nape of her neck brushed against his arm stretched out along the back of the bench. As he warmly returned her smile, Chloe let out a happy sigh.

Coming to stay with Emily in San Francisco had just been the best idea ever!

* * *

Following a trip to the bathroom, Emily descended the steps from her third floor apartment, having decided to take the staircase back down to the garden. Her mood had lifted somewhat since earlier on in the evening, but she was still aware of the quiet melancholy lingering deep inside. 

As she rounded the second floor hallway, the sound of laughter reached her ears and she stopped in her tracks, immediately recognising the two voices. Sure enough, a few seconds later, Bianca emerged onto the landing mid-way between the first and second floors. Chris was close on her heels, his hand tightly clasped in hers. Neither of them saw Emily standing half a flight of stairs above them.

Coming to an abrupt halt, Bianca twisted around and stepped in close to her boyfriend, winding her arms about his neck and kissing him passionately. Chris returned the embrace with equal fervour, his hands rising to tangle in his girlfriend's silky, chestnut-brown hair as his lips moved over hers.

Emily's heart stopped. She wanted to flee, but she was inexplicably rooted to the spot. Unable to move, she stood there frozen in horror, while her heart silently shattered into a million pieces. The couple eventually broke off their hungry kiss, but remained wrapped in each other's arms.

"You're not gonna make me walk all the way up the stairs to your apartment in these shoes, are you?" Bianca complained as she playfully pressed her lips into the hollow of her boyfriend's throat.

"No – you can take them off if you like," Chris replied teasingly, curling his hand around the nape of her neck under the smooth curtain of her hair.

He chuckled as Bianca dug him in the ribs and lifted her head to pout at him. Cupping her beautiful face in his hands, he dropped a quick kiss on her pursed lips. "Well, if you will wear such inappropriate footwear..."

"And you're so not funny," Bianca retorted, her wide, sunny smile belying her words and making Chris laugh.

"Come on baby," she wheedled, moulding her body to his and looking coyly up at him through her long, dark eyelashes. "Just for me? You know you want to."

"Oh, I do, do I?" Chris smiled down at the woman in his arms before he bent to kiss her again.

Mid-way through their second full-on embrace, the enthusiastically kissing couple dissolved into a swirl of blue lights and disappeared. With a broken sob, Emily turned and fled back to her apartment…

* * *

They'd sat together in comfortable silence for almost three quarters of an hour now, just quietly enjoying each other's presence and observing the party going on around them. Neither of them felt the need to speak now that their mutual attraction had been acknowledged. 

Lulled into a contented, almost dreamlike, state, Wyatt jumped when Chloe suddenly sat up straighter. Squinting slightly, she peered into the lively throng of people, obviously looking for someone.

"What is it?" he asked softly.

"Nothing… I just haven't seen Emily around for a while, that's all."

"Maybe she went to the bathroom."

"For thirty minutes? I don't think so."

Noting his companion's concern, Wyatt closed his eyes and sensed for the redheaded witch. "She's upstairs in her apartment," he told her.

"Maybe I should go and check to see if she's okay," Chloe said, rising to her feet. "It's not like Emily to leave without saying anything."

Wyatt nodded. "Just hurry back, okay?" he said.

Chloe was loath to leave him, but she couldn't shake the nagging sense that something was wrong with her cousin. Her aura-sensing power was stronger with the people she was close to, and the vibe she was getting from Emily right now was telling her that she was upset and agitated.

"I'll be as quick as I can," she promised, before she walked away across the grass towards the apartment building.

She rode up in the elevator to the third floor, and then hurried down the corridor towards the apartment. As she opened the door with the spare key Emily had given her, the muffled sound of someone crying reached her ears and she was glad that she had listened to her instincts.

Pushing open the door to the master bedroom, she found Emily sprawled, face down, on her bed, her whole body shaking with heart-wrenching sobs. Her violet-blue eyes full of concern, Chloe rushed across the room to perch on the edge of the mattress next to her weeping cousin.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she asked, reaching out to rub her hand soothingly up and down the sobbing girl's back.

"I saw them on the stairs - kissing," Emily hiccupped into the bed-covers. "And it just… I'm so stupid, Chloe."

"Saw who?" Chloe asked, puzzled. Emily hadn't mentioned a new boyfriend to her. "You're going to have to help me out here, honey."

"Chris and Bianca," her cousin replied before a fresh wave of sobs overwhelmed her.

Chloe was shocked to the core. "You're having an affair with Wyatt's brother?" she asked incredulously. She couldn't believe it.

"No!" Emily raised her tear-stained face from the pillow, shaking her head in denial.

"Then what?" Chloe asked, before understanding finally dawned. "Oh I see - you like him."

Emily nodded. "But he loves her," she whispered, swiping angrily at the tears on her cheeks. "And I always knew that. How could I have been so stupid?"

"Oh Em," Chloe murmured sympathetically, reaching out and drawing her distraught cousin into a consoling hug.

While Chloe stroked her hair and whispered nonsensical words of comfort in her ear, Emily nestled her face into the crook of her neck and began to cry again. Eventually though, she managed to pull herself together and sat up, scrubbing at her tear-blotched face with the heels of her hands.

"It was so obvious that they were going upstairs to… well, you know. And why shouldn't they? They're consenting adults after all, and they've been dating for over two years. Seeing them together like that just brought it home to me how he feels about her. I guess I've been in denial up until now. I feel like such an idiot. It's crazy – I have no right to be upset, and yet it's as if my heart is breaking in two."

"You can't help who you fall in love with, Em. Sometimes it just happens and there's nothing you can do to prevent it."

"I don't know what to do, Chloe. I mean I've liked men who didn't return my feelings before, but it's never been like this. When I'm around him, it's as if no one else exists in the world but the two of us. Only then, something always happens to remind me that that just isn't the case. He has a girlfriend that he loves, and all I'll ever be to him is a friend."

Chloe reached out to squeeze her cousin's hand in sympathy. To a certain extent, she'd been in this situation with her former boyfriend, Paul – although at least they had some sort of romantic relationship, even if it hadn't been everything that she'd wanted at the time. All that heartache seemed so long ago now however.

"Look, I know you probably don't want to hear this right now," she said, "But you will get over it, you know. You just have to make the effort to move on with your life. It'll be hard at first, but you'll make it through, I know you will. I did after Paul, didn't I? I thought I'd never fall in love like that ever again, but look at me now – right on the brink of it once more."

Emily nodded and sniffled, attempting to get her turbulent emotions back under control. It was like a dam had broken inside her, and all the suppressed angst had come flooding out in a churning tidal wave. She knew that facing the truth of the situation was for the best, in the long run, but that didn't make it any easier to deal with in the here and now.

"God! I must look a complete mess," she said with a shaky laugh.

Chloe reached out and tenderly tucked her hair behind her ear. "Yep – I think I'd have to agree with that," she joked, lightly stroking the side of her cousin's tear-streaked face with her fingers.

"So how are things going with Wyatt?" Emily asked, trying to distract herself from the burning heartache inside.

Chloe smiled, her violet-blue eyes lighting up with inner happiness. "Good – he finally asked me out on a date."

"That's great!" Emily replied, genuinely pleased for her cousin despite her own woes. "So what are you doing up here with me then? Shouldn't you be downstairs at the party with him?"

"I was worried about you, Em. You disappeared without a word to anyone."

"I'm fine – well not fine, but I'll be all right. Just go okay, Chloe? There's no reason why both of our nights should be ruined. This is my own stupid fault anyway – I was the one who developed feelings for someone I shouldn't."

"Okay – just as long as you're sure," Chloe said. "You know I'll stay if you want me to."

"I'm sure - just go. You don't want anyone else muscling in on your territory, now do you?"

"I don't think Wyatt's that fickle."

"No, I don't either, but apparently someone called Allison has been after him for ages. He's not interested, but that doesn't stop her from draping herself all over him at every opportunity – well, according to Bianca anyway."

"Ahh – that would be the woman who's been shooting daggers at me all night then," Chloe said. "I wondered what I'd done to warrant such hostility."

"Well, now you know. So get back down there before she tries to sink her claws into him."

"All right – just promise me you don't mind," Chloe said, still a little torn.

"I don't mind, okay?" Emily quickly assured her. "I mean one of us should be happy at least, don't you think?"

Chloe leaned forward and hugged her cousin tightly. "You will find someone – I know you will," she murmured in her ear. "Just hang on in there, okay?"

Emily nodded and gave her a light shove in the direction of the door. "Go!"

"Yes ma'am," Chloe said with a jaunty little salute, and then turned on her heel and left.

Back in the garden, she looked around for Wyatt, frowning when she noticed that he wasn't alone. The tall, dark-haired beauty from earlier was sitting next to him, her hand blatantly resting on his knee while she chattered animatedly to – or rather at - him. Staying where she was, Chloe watched the scene unfold before her.

To his credit, Wyatt quickly shifted position, deliberately putting some distance between the two of them and firmly removing the unwanted hand from his person. Allison – at least Chloe assumed it was Allison - immediately inched closer again, but amazingly kept her hands to herself this time. Given the way that Wyatt was sitting right up close against the arm of the bench, Chloe guessed that this little retreat and advance manoeuvre had been going on for some time.

Her eyes narrowed when she noticed the way the other woman was dressed. Her skirt was so short that almost the entire length of her legs were exposed to the elements. And her top – well, could it be any tighter and low-cut? Chloe certainly didn't think so. Galvanised into action, she strode over to join them.

"Hey! I'm back," she said brightly.

Allison shot her a glare, but Wyatt looked up at her with a relieved smile. "You want to dance?" Chloe asked him, indicating the dance-floor with her thumb.

"Sure," Wyatt nodded, quickly getting to his feet. "Excuse us, Allison."

Allison could only nod in acquiescence, much to her rival's satisfaction.

"Thanks," Wyatt murmured in Chloe's ear as they made their way over to the dance-floor. "I thought I was going to have to prise her off me with a crowbar."

Chloe giggled at his rueful tone. "Well, she better learn to keep her hands to herself in the future," she said firmly.

Wyatt grinned at her faintly possessive tone. "Is that so?"

"Uh-huh," Chloe replied. "It definitely is."

"I think I can live with that," Wyatt decided, as they reached the dance floor and turned to face each other.

"You better," Chloe threatened, only half in jest.

Wyatt laughed, then reached out and wrapped his arm about her waist, tugging her close. Chloe lifted her arms and draped them loosely around his neck as they began to sway in time with the music. It had reached the point in the evening where the fast, energetic songs gave way to the slow, romantic tunes, and Chloe allowed that mood to wash over her as they danced.

The same mood seemed to have infused Wyatt too, because his blue eyes softened noticeably as gazed down into her face and held her firmly against him. Chloe's heart began to beat faster and her breathing quickened as she became intensely aware of his proximity. Laying her head down on his shoulder, she let out soft, contented sigh and closed her eyes, while they moved about the dance-floor in slow, meandering circles.

All too soon, the party began to disperse and Wyatt was called upon to say farewell to his guests. While he did that, Chloe sank down into a chair near the pool, suddenly overcome with tiredness. Wearily shutting her eyes, she was only vaguely aware of what was going on around her. An off-colour remark from a guy, who had obviously had too much to drink, did reach her ears though.

"I guess, given the circumstances, we can forgive you for being such an inattentive host tonight," he slurred loudly, clapping Wyatt knowingly on the back. "And where have Chris and Bianca got to? As if we didn't know," he added with a suggestive wink.

Wyatt handled the situation with quiet aplomb, quickly dispatching the inebriated man off in the back of a taxi before he could embarrass himself further. Giving into her fatigue, Chloe dozed off for a few minutes, only coming to again when Wyatt gently shook her awake.

"Hey – are you all right? You look a bit pale."

"I'm fine – I'm just really tired all of a sudden."

Wyatt nodded and helped her to her feet. "You need to make sure you take it easy and don't do too much," he said. "I may have healed your wounds, but it's still going to take your body some time to recover from the shock of the accident. Come on, I'll walk you back to the apartment."

Chloe smiled. "I think I can manage to get there by myself," she said. "Don't you have to…," she waved her hand at the few remaining party guests.

"My Dad says I should always make sure my dates get home safely," Wyatt replied, holding out his hand towards her in invitation.

Giving into his gallant persuasion, Chloe slipped her fingers into his and followed him back into the four-storey building. The two of them made their way up to the third floor, via the elevator, and then wandered slowly down the corridor, still hand in hand. They finally came to a halt outside the apartment door.

"So," Wyatt said, "About tomorrow. How about I pick you up about eleven? We'll go to lunch first, and then maybe take a trip down to the waterfront in the afternoon. Let's leave the big sightseeing tour for another day, huh. You don't want to overdo it."

"Yeah – that sounds… well nice," Chloe replied.

"Good," Wyatt said with a satisfied nod. "Till tomorrow then."

"Yeah till tomorrow," Chloe echoed.

Neither of them moved. There was a short silence and then Wyatt tried again.

"Well, I'll say good night," he said, his eyes still riveted on her face.

"Okay," Chloe agreed.

Wyatt nodded at her, finally forcing himself to move. As he turned to leave though, he stopped and looked back at her, prompting Chloe's heart to leap into her throat in anticipation.

Wyatt let out a short laugh and shook his head. "Geez! I feel like a teenager again."

Chloe nodded in agreement. "Tell me about it."

Stepping nearer, he slipped his fingers under her chin and lifted her face to his. "Is this okay?" he asked softly, bending closer so that his face was mere centimetres from hers.

"I thinking yeah," Chloe returned in hushed tones.

Wyatt promptly bridged the gap between them and pressed his lips to hers. Chloe's eyes fluttered shut as their mouths clung together for a lingering moment, before separating with a soft, wet pop. Straightening up, Wyatt smiled down at her, then turned and walked away without a word.

Chloe silently watched him go, her teeth worrying at her bottom lip. When he finally disappeared around the corner, she let out her breath with a huge whoosh. The kiss had been relatively chaste, but wow! She thought her knees were going to give out.

"Oh, I am in so much trouble," she murmured as she inserted her key into the lock and let herself into the darkened apartment.

Almost skipping down the corridor to her room, she poked her head into Emily's bedroom on the way. Her cousin was asleep, curled up in a foetal position, a pillow clutched to her chest. The lamp on the bedside table was still on, and Chloe's euphoric mood dimmed somewhat as she took in Emily's pale and tear-stained countenance.

How could she have gotten so lucky with Wyatt, when her cousin was struggling with her unrequited feelings for Chris? It was just so unfair. They never seemed to be happy and in love simultaneously. It was as though one of them had to be in pain in order to balance out the other one's happiness. It was all so wrong.

Chloe sighed as she flipped off the lamp and quietly tiptoed out of the bedroom. Emily was resilient, she knew, but she just wished that, for once, their lives could be simple and uncomplicated. Maybe one day they would be. For now though, they'd just have to muddle through in any way they could.

_**To be continued…**_

* * *

I'm sorry, I know I'm torturing poor Emily, but the story is called 'Unrequited' for a reason. 

**Replies to reviews:**

**Re: everyone who reviewed, who is not mentioned below (and those who are too!) – **Although I always welcome constructive criticism, I have to admit it's nice to know that you're enjoying reading this as much as I am writing it. So thank-you for your comments :-)

**Re: Phoebe Turner** – the last chapter was basically the set up for this one, which is why not much happened. Hopefully, there's enough action in this part to make up for it!

**Re: Trina-K_ - _**I was originally going to include various inserts about the people who attended the party. However, I decided it broke up the momentum of this chapter too much, so I cut most of them out. Maybe I'll come back to it at a later stage, who knows? It's not overly important to the storyline, but they were mainly witches etc…, although there was mention of some 'non-magical' party guests as well.

**Re: Queen Isa – **glad you like it. This story originally started out as character history for another fic idea I had, which is why the magic/demon stuff is all in the background. I eventually decided that the 'prequel' would be the more interesting tale to tell - hence 'Unrequited' was born. As for Bianca – I suppose she's a reformed Phoenix witch, but I'm not really delving into her background too much with this story. I have changed things a little bit though, because I've made her only slightly older than Chris. It will become apparent in the next chapter that she's not that much older than Wyatt.

**Re: IcantthinkofaFnick **– there are cousins, as Chris had already mentioned, and you'll meet some of them later on in the story. Unfortunately, they're all girls!

**Re: Nubilina – **re:Chris finding out about Emily. He will, just not yet - deliberately vague answer ;-).

**Re: Victorious Light – **Glad you like my characters – I hope I've made Emily and Chloe distinctive enough from each other. I want them to be similar in some ways, but different in others. Re: Wyatt's 'stalker' – well, you met her in this chapter. Don't know how involved she's going to be after this though. I don't want it to interfere with the main storyline too much. However, I'm sure she'll make various cameo appearances, because I think she's kind of funny :-)


	13. The Ultimatum

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Although the story will still be told from Emily and Chloe's point of view a lot of the time, it's important that you're aware of some of the boy's thoughts and feelings too. Therefore, it's time to take a little look see on the other side of the fence...

Replies to reviews at the end.

* * *

**Chapter 13**

The next morning, Chris was awakened by the sunlight streaming in through a gap in the drapes. Opening his eyes, he yawned and stretched, working the kinks out of his long, lean body. Bianca was still asleep, curled into his side, her hand resting over his heart and her beautiful face peaceful in repose.

Taking care not to wake her, he slipped out of bed, pulled on a pair of sweatpants and padded, barefoot, into the apartment's living area. Going through into the kitchen, he found his brother seated at the breakfast bar, eating a bowl of cereal.

"Morning," he mumbled, still trying to shake off the hazy fog of sleep.

"Good morning to you too," Wyatt responded in a cheery tone, scraping up the last remnants of his breakfast with his spoon.

Setting the empty bowl aside, he popped a couple of slices of bread into the toaster and reached for the butter and strawberry conserve. Chris poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the counter opposite his brother.

"I suppose there's the after party cleanup to endure this morning," he said with a grimace.

"For you and Bianca maybe – I'm going out."

"With Chloe, I take it?"

"Yep," Wyatt replied, all smiles.

"Go bro!" Chris said, punching the air in a mock gesture of triumph.

Wyatt made a face at him. "Seeing as you and Bianca jumped ship and left me with all the host duties last night, I figured you owed me one," he said, retrieving his toast and spreading it thickly with butter.

"Yeah right – sorry about that," Chris apologised, shaking some cereal out into a dish and pouring a liberal amount of milk over it.

"It's good to see that things are back to normal between you two by the way."

"Are they?" Chris questioned contemplatively. "Bianca still wants to move our relationship forward, while I'm still happy with the way things are. We've only been getting on better these last couple of months because we've avoided discussing it. The issue hasn't gone away though – however much I might want it to."

Wyatt nodded. "Why _are_ you dragging your feet anyway?" he asked.

Chris sighed. "I don't know; I honestly don't. I love her, I do. I'm just not ready for the big lifetime commitment yet, I suppose."

"And Bianca is?"

"I'm pretty sure she's expecting a ring and a proposal some time soon, yes."

"Then you need to figure out where you're at, before it all blows up in your face."

"Yes, thanks for stating the obvious, but I think I already know that."

"I'm just trying to be big brotherly."

"I know; I'm sorry. I just… why does everything have to be so complicated all the time, huh?"

"Well - as Dad would say – 'It's the way of life, son.'"

Chris laughed at his elder brother's uncanny impression of their father. "Do not do that, okay? It's _really_ freaky."

Wyatt grinned at him and then quickly turned serious again. "Maybe you should talk to Aunt Phoebe about it – she's great with the love life advice, you know. When I was going through all that stuff with Tara, she really helped me to see my way through it."

Chris scoffed. "Yeah, like that's not going to get straight back to Mom."

"Is that such a problem?"

"Until I've worked things out in my own head, yes. She'll only try to help and I really need to figure this out by myself."

Wyatt opened his mouth to reply, but the sound of a door opening and closing cut him off. Moments later, Bianca wandered into the kitchen. She was wearing one of Chris's shirts and her tanned legs were bare, while her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. Joining them at the breakfast bar, she cheekily reached over and pinched some of Wyatt's toast.

"Hey!" he protested. "Give that back!"

"Surely you can spare some of your breakfast for poor little me?" Bianca replied, playfully fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Wyatt humph'd good-naturedly. "Lucky for you, I'm in a good mood," he told her.

"Oo – so things are hotting up on the Chloe front, are they?"

"Maybe."

"And?" Bianca prompted.

"And we're going out to lunch today," Wyatt answered. "Not that it's any of your business," he added.

Bianca ignored that. "So where are you taking her?" she asked, resting her chin on her hand, waiting to hear all the details.

"You don't honestly think I'm dumb enough to tell you that, do you?"

"What do you think I'm going to do? Spy on you or something?"

"I wouldn't put it past you," Wyatt replied as he climbed down from his stool. "What's worse, you'd probably drag Sarah along for the ride too."

"Well, I'm offended!" Bianca huffed in mock protest.

Wyatt grinned at her. "Well, I'm gonna leave you to it," he said. "There's a few things I need to check out before I pick Chloe up later."

"You two have fun this morning, won't you?" he added in a teasingly vindictive tone.

With that, he orbed out and Bianca immediately turned to look questionably at her boyfriend. "What did that mean?"

"We got stuck with the cleanup detail," he explained.

"Well, that's just great!" she said with a pout.

"You were the one who wanted to sneak off early last night," Chris reminded her.

"And like you were complaining!" Bianca shot back, before she laughed and leaned over to kiss him.

"So you think Wyatt and Chloe are going to work out?" she asked when they broke apart.

Chris shrugged noncommittally. "It's way too early to tell, but I'd say the signs are good, yes."

"Maybe if things go really well, he'll be more amenable to you and me getting our own place," she suggested casually.

Chris's heart sank; he knew the last few weeks of calm had been too good to last. "Bianca – let's not, okay? Not today, please."

Bianca glared at him, her brown eyes glittering dangerously. "Let's not what Chris? Discuss the future of our relationship? Why not, huh? We know how it's supposed to be – why the hell are we still waiting for it to happen?"

"Because_ maybe _I want to live _my_ life, rather than his," Chris burst out in frustration.

"His life is your life, Chris."

"No, my life is whatever _I _choose to make it."

"And that choice doesn't include me - is that what you're saying?"

"No, of course not. I'm simply saying that I need to make my own decisions in my own time," Chris said wearily. "I love you, Bianca, I do. I'm just not ready for all of that yet, I'm sorry."

"God – you make it sound like such an ordeal. Living together - it's supposed to be a pleasure, Chris."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it!"

"Do I? Well, excuse me, but I'm not so sure anymore," Bianca retorted angrily. "How am I supposed to explain all this to Daddy?"

"Explain what? It's non of his business. And since when do you care about what he thinks anyway?"

"Since, for once, he actually has a valid point. I mean, where is this going, Chris? Do you even know? Your other self wasn't so commitment phobic. Why are you?"

"What the hell has _that_ got to do with anything? And I'm not commitment phobic – I just don't see the need for all the rush. I'm only twenty-four, for god's sake."

"In case you'd forgotten, I'm twenty-six, nearly twenty-seven. All my friends are getting engaged, or moving in with their partners, and I'm being left behind because you're too immature to take on that responsibility! And to make things worse, everyone knows we're destined to be together."

"So what? Either I propose, or you'll find someone who will, so you can keep up with your friends? Is that it, huh?"

"Don't be so stupid!" Bianca stormed, but quickly caught herself before she said something that she'd later regret.

"Look – I don't want to force you into anything you're not ready for," she said, her tone softer. "But I won't wait forever. Just think about that, okay?"

She slipped down from her stool. "I think I should go," she decided. "We're not getting anywhere here."

"Bianca…" Chris reached out and caught her hand, preventing her from leaving.

She turned to look at him with tears in her eyes. "I wish we were on the same page, but we're not," she said sorrowfully, "I want more now, and you need to decide whether that's something that you can give."

"I can't make a decision like that in a blink of an eye, Bianca."

"I know – I get that. You can have time; I'm not unreasonable. There has to be a limit though. I can't go on like this indefinitely."

"How long?"

"Six months, a year maybe."

"So, a year from now, you expect me to have made a decision about our future, one way or the other?" Chris asked.

His girlfriend nodded as she wiped away the spilt tears from her cheeks.

"But we can just carry on as we are for the time being?" Chris continued. "Because going over and over this is slowly destroying us, Bianca, and I don't want that."

"I know - me neither."

"I swear to you that I'll have things figured out by then," Chris pledged sincerely. "I just need a little more time to get my head together. Promise me that we won't let this come between us in the meantime though."

Bianca nodded. "Okay - I can do that."

"Good," Chris said with a deep sigh. "I do love you, you know."

"Yes, I know and I love you too."

Chris pulled on her hand, and Bianca stepped into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I'm still going to go," she said into his neck. "I think we need a bit of space, don't you?"

Chris turned his head and kissed her hair. "Yeah, maybe you're right," he agreed sadly. "I'm glad we've made this decision though."

Bianca pulled back and looked up into his face. "I never thought I'd end up giving you an ultimatum."

Chris rested his forehead against hers and solemnly gazed down into her huge brown eyes. "I think it's for the best," he told her.

Touching her lips to his, Bianca kissed him, and then turned and went back into the bedroom to get dressed. Chris sank his head down on the counter and sighed, feeling something akin to relief wash over him. It was a considerable weight off his mind. He had been so scared that his indecision would splinter them apart.

He knew in himself that he wasn't ready for marriage – even living together – yet. But that didn't mean he didn't love Bianca or want to be with her. He just needed some breathing space to figure out what he wanted without all the pressure, and he was immensely grateful to his girlfriend for giving it to him.

It couldn't have been easy for her, he knew. Her family were constantly hassling her about settling down, while her friend's well-meaning questions only added to that. He just wished everyone would leave them alone to get on with it. Was that really too much to ask?

* * *

Chloe glanced at her watch in nervous anticipation - ten forty-five - it was nearly time. She looked down at her outfit – pale blue Capri pants, a cream, gypsy-style top and straw-coloured sandals with a chunky heel. Was it too casual? 

She wanted to ask Emily for her advice, but her cousin was sitting in the armchair by the window, sunk in deep melancholy, and it just didn't seem right. So instead, she prowled around the living area in tight circles, willing the clock hands to move quicker than their current snail's pace.

"What time is he picking you up?"

Chloe jumped at the sound of Emily's voice, her cousin had barely said two words to her since she'd gotten up that morning. "Umm – in ten minutes."

"You look nice."

"You don't think it's too casual, do you?"

"No, you look fine."

Chloe walked over and perched on the arm of Emily's chair. "Are you okay?" she asked with gentle concern.

Emily sighed. "I'm getting there – I've been thinking about what you said – you know, about trying to move on with my life?"

"And?"

"And I know I've got to do it. There's this guy, Matthew, at work – he's asked me out on a couple of occasions. Maybe I should say yes. I mean I do like him, it's just…"

"He's not Chris?"

"Yeah. Do you think it's wrong to agree to go on a date with him, when I have such strong feelings for someone else?"

Chloe sighed. "Well that depends – sitting around here moping isn't doing you any good. You should make the effort to get out and enjoy yourself. If it turns out that this Matthew is after something serious though, then you need to make it clear that you're not ready for that. Otherwise I don't see any real harm in it."

Emily nodded. "It doesn't come across like that," she said. "I get the impression that he's only looking for a bit of companionship, something casual."

"Then maybe he's exactly what you need right now."

"Yeah maybe so," Emily softly agreed.

There was a sharp rap on the door then, and Chloe sucked in a deep breath as butterflies immediately started fluttering about in her stomach. "Okay, so wish me luck."

Emily smiled. "I don't think you need it," she said as her cousin walked across the room to answer the door.

"Hey!" Wyatt greeted her with a warm smile.

He was dressed casually in a pair of beige slacks and a blue, open-necked shirt, and Chloe immediately relaxed about the suitability of her own outfit.

"Hey!" she said, shyly returning his greeting.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Yep," Chloe replied, scooping up her purse from the table near the door and slinging it over her shoulder. "I'll see you later, Emily."

"Yeah bye – have fun."

Chloe closed the door behind her and looked apprehensively up at her date, experiencing the same awkwardness that she'd felt the previous night when he'd walked her to her door. They wandered down the corridor towards the elevator in silence, and waited patiently for it to reach their floor.

Stepping inside, Chloe turned and leaned back against the metal interior, holding onto the guardrail that encircled the elevator walls. Wyatt stepped in after her and reached behind him to press the button for the ground floor. As the doors slid closed, he suddenly bent and kissed her. The embrace was bolder than the kiss of the night before, and it left Chloe flushed and breathless in its wake.

"I figured we'd get that over with," Wyatt said when he released her. "That way we can concentrate on the date itself, rather than endlessly speculating about what might happen at the end of it."

Chloe laughed and the ice was broken. Smiling shyly at her, Wyatt tentatively reached out and entwined his fingers with hers, then led her out of the apartment block and round to the parking lot.

"You have a car?" Chloe asked incredulously.

"Yes – Chris and I share it," Wyatt explained as he courteously opened the door for her. "We can't orb everywhere you know, it's too dangerous."

Chloe nodded as she slid into the passenger seat. "I guess, that's true," she conceded.

Wyatt climbed into the driver's side and gunned the engine. "So, you ready?"

"Yeah – let's go!"

* * *

Chris swept the remains of the previous evening's buffet into the large, black refuse bag, and then stacked it up with the others against the side of the building. Next, he turned his attention to the various discarded cups, glasses and bottles scattered about. He'd been at it for almost an hour now, but the chore still seemed as large as it did, when he first entered the garden and surveyed the devastation caused by last night's party. 

Still, at least the menial task was therapeutic and went some way towards remedying his troubled soul. The argument with Bianca had been painful, but he was glad that everything was out in the open at long last. Now all he had to do was figure out what he wanted from the rest of his life.

A door slammed and he turned to see Emily emerge from the building, a novel tucked under her arm and bottle of lemon soda in her hand. She seemed to be in a world of her own as she wandered down the path towards the pool, and she was clearly oblivious to his presence as she sat down in one of the long, cushioned seats. She looked pale and tired, like the weight of the world was resting on her shoulders, and Chris felt a bolt of concern run through him. Straightening up, he crossed the grass to say hello.

"Hey!" he said quietly, making her jump out of her skin.

"Chris! Oh! Hi!"

Emily's eyes were dark with hidden pain when she looked up at him, but then she seemed to catch herself and quickly schooled her features into a blank mask. At first, Chris was going to question her about it. However, in the end, he decided that they weren't close enough friends yet for him to pry into her personal business without being asked.

"I got stuck with the cleaning up," he said instead, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder at the untidy mess behind him.

Emily looked over to where he was indicating and nodded. "I can help you if you like," she offered.

Chris laughed and shook his head. "No, you're alright, I can manage - I wasn't touting for help, I swear."

"Well okay – if you're sure," she said, dropping her gaze back to her book.

Chris looked steadily at the top of her bent head for a moment, then turned and went back to the clearing up.

All right, so maybe he was imagining it, but there'd been something decidedly off about Emily just recently. It was as if she was avoiding him somehow, only he couldn't really fathom out why. He thought they'd been getting on well.

He liked her – she was warm, friendly and her quirky and slightly offbeat nature was a delight to be around. I mean, if ever he was going to have a best friend other than his brother, then something told him that she'd be it. She just seemed to get him – like how she'd immediately understood why it was sometimes difficult for him to reconcile his other self's life with his own.

Even Wyatt didn't really get that, or rather he didn't particularly make the effort to. Chris understood why that was, of course. Not surprisingly, his brother had his own demons to deal with where the alternative future was concerned. The difference was, the other Wyatt didn't exist in the hearts, minds and memories of their family – he was simply the reason for Chris's other self's fatal mission to the past.

Chris did sometimes wonder if his steadfast determination to live his own life and make his own choices was the reason why he was holding back with Bianca. However, something told him that - while that was certainly a big part of it - it wasn't the only thing behind his reluctance to take that next step. He just had to work out what the rest of the reason was - and if there was a way to overcome it. The trouble was he hadn't a clue where his nagging doubt came from. It was just there and he didn't know why.

With a heavy sigh, he shook his head, trying to clear the welter of confusing thoughts whirling around inside his mind. In recent months, he had felt like the walls were closing in on him, and that he was being pressurised into make a decision that he wasn't ready to make.

Now though, Bianca had thankfully given him the time to step back and figure out what it was he truly wanted. He had the chance to get things straight in his head before he decided which path to follow. He owed it to himself and to her to be absolutely sure about this. It was a decision that would affect the rest of their lives, after all…

_**To be continued…

* * *

**_

**P.S. **I'm trying very hard not to make Chris the bad guy in this. I hope it's clear that he's just confused about his feelings and what he wants from life, and that he's not deliberately messing Bianca - or Emily for that matter - about.

* * *

**Re: Queen Isa – **yeah, you're right in a way. I didn't want to set up a triangle with Emily and the boys. I wanted to do something a little bit different. 

**Re: Queen Isa, Zeria – **re: Chris/Wyatt/Bianca finding out – yes, they will but maybe not in the way that you'd imagine.

**Re Martina G **– Sorry this is not turning out to be your thing. If I had to characterise it, I would say this is a Chris/Wyatt story told through Emily/Chloe's eyes. However, having said that, I will be switching POV to the boys a lot more now (see note at the beginning of chapter).

The Charmed Ones are in it more later, plus they make a brief appearance very soon. For the next few parts, the story will be Wyatt/Chloe centric with Emily-Chris-Bianca playing in the background. The focus will shift after that though, so I hope you keep reading.

As for the lack of Chris – Wyatt & Chloe have played a bigger part than I was originally intending, I admit. However, the second half of the story is much more Chris-focused and well, this chapter was virtually all Chris!

**Re: Nubilina **– the next part should answer the separate state issue.

**Re: Faith-charmer – **I hope it's clear from this chapter that Chris is not quite so blind as he seems - even if he is still relatively clueless! LOL!

**Re: Victorious Light – **got your review just as this part was ready to post! How's that for a quick update? Relationships are what I tend to write. I enjoy writing about the demon/magic adventure stuff too, but I always have a relationship angle to my stories, always. You're reading the Emily/Chloe relationship as I'm trying to portray it, which is good. I guess I must be doing something right then :-)


	14. Taken

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hey – a nice long chapter for you to keep you going (see note at end). A little bit of a magical interlude starts here, one that's going to have ramifications for all involved…

Replies to reviews at end.

**

* * *

Chapter 14 **

_**A month later…**_

"So this Matthew - where does he live?" Wyatt asked conversationally.

Emily eyed him suspiciously. "Why?"

"I'm just interested, that's all."

"You mean you want to check him out and make sure he's not some warlock, demon or something similar," she accused.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Wyatt replied, his blue eyes wide and innocent. "You can't be too careful, you know."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the advice, _Dad_," she said sarcastically, making Chloe laugh.

The three of them were sitting around the kitchen table in Chris and Wyatt's apartment, measuring out ingredients for a whole catalogue of vanquishing potions, magical elixirs and the like. Apparently, the two brothers held what they termed a 'potion-making day' every few months to stock up on their supplies.

"Chris's idea," Wyatt had explained, when he'd come round to coerce the two girls into helping. "He's Mr Super-Organised – my brother would alphabetise the entire apartment if I let him. It's a little quirk that he inherited from Mom, which luckily bypassed me, thank god."

Back in the immediate present, Emily set a small metal bowl in front of her and began to toss in various herbs and powders, mixing them together with a large wooden spoon.

"He's just an ordinary guy, Wyatt," she said as she worked. "I'm sure if he was a demon planning to imprison me in his lair, he'd have done it by now, don't you think?"

Wyatt shot a look at his girlfriend. "Is she always this flippant?" he asked.

Chloe smiled at his plaintive tone. "Pretty much, yeah," she replied.

Chloe focused her gaze on Emily then, glad to see her cousin looking so cheery. Matthew had turned out to be an absolute godsend. He was friendly, fun, and - having just come out of a long-term relationship - wasn't looking for anything serious. Aside from the odd peck on the cheek and the occasional handholding, Emily's relationship with him was purely platonic though. They were basically two friends, who went out on dates, simply for the pleasure of each other's company.

This casual, exclusive friendship suited them both, but, unfortunately, it was a state of affairs that many of their mutual acquaintances had trouble grasping. Emily called him her 'date-buddy' – an expression that Chloe thought the two of them had come up with to explain away their relationship to their inquisitive work colleagues. She herself was just grateful that it got Emily out of the apartment and stopped her from brooding over Chris. As far as Chloe was concerned, Matthew was exactly the kind of distraction that her cousin needed right now.

Her own relationship with Wyatt was also going well – almost too well in fact. Barely a day went by without them spending at least some time in each other's company, and they had become an almost permanent fixture in each other's lives as a result. It had only been four weeks since their first date, but already Chloe couldn't imagine her life without him. Her growing feelings sometimes scared her with their intensity though, and she worried that she was getting in too deep, too soon.

By unspoken agreement, they'd been taking things slow on the physical front however, and this had appeased Chloe's internal anxieties somewhat. While certainly not shy about kissing her, Wyatt had never once tried to take things further, and she had gradually realised that he was holding back because he was afflicted with the same apprehensions as she.

They were on the brink of something special and they both knew it. This made taking that leap into the unknown all the scarier though, as there was suddenly so much more at stake. Because they'd each had their hearts broken at one time or another in the past, they were both a little cautious about taking that risk again. Chloe was slowly starting to realise that the gamble would be worth however, and she hoped that Wyatt shared her growing confidence in their relationship.

"Hey! Earth to Chloe!"

"What?" Chloe jumped, startled out her reverie when her cousin waved her hand in front of her face.

"Can you pass me the lavender oil please?"

"Umm, yeah sure," Chloe said, searching around for the little bottle and handing it over.

"What were you daydreaming about? Or shouldn't I ask?" Emily queried. Winking suggestively at her cousin, she shot a knowing glance at Wyatt and raised her eyebrows.

"Emily!" Chloe protested, blushing profusely.

Her cousin's lips curled up into an impish grin. "Aww - I think it's sweet."

"And I think you should shut up," Chloe told her through gritted teeth, her cheeks scarlet with embarrassment.

Wyatt laughed. "Hey, don't worry about it," he said to his mortified girlfriend. "You can daydream about me all you like."

"And as for Miss Busy-Body here," he added, waving his hand at Chloe's cheekily grinning cousin. "I have a little brother, so I know what it's like."

"Where is Chris anyway?" Emily asked with deceptive casualness.

"He and Bianca went out to get some extra supplies," Wyatt told her. "They shouldn't be too much longer."

Emily nodded, and then paused, her expression torn. "Can I ask you something?" she suddenly blurted out. "About Chris and Bianca, I mean," she clarified.

"You've noticed the change," Wyatt guessed. "Yeah, they've been having a few troubles recently, but they reached an agreement, of sorts, a few weeks ago. Things have been a lot calmer since then, and it's broken down some of the walls between them. It's good to see them generally happy and relaxed again – it's been awhile."

Emily quickly dropped her gaze to the table, trying to hide the flash of pain that crossed her face at his words. Unaware of the difficult emotions that he had unintentionally provoked, Wyatt picked up a large cylindrical pot and peered into it.

"Damn!" he cursed. "I thought we had more of this. I didn't put it on Chris and Bianca's list of things to get. I'll have to go and borrow some from the Manor, I suppose."

He stood up, the pottery jar still clutched in his hand. "I won't be long, okay?" he said, bending over and planting a soft kiss on Chloe's lips before he vanished in a whirl of blue lights.

Chloe immediately looked over at her cousin. "Emily…"

"I needed to know," Emily said shortly, cutting her off. The message was loud and clear – change the subject. Chloe sighed, but heeded her cousin's unspoken request nonetheless.

"I've been thinking about permanently relocating to San Francisco," she said instead, voicing something that she'd wanted to discuss for a while now. "My medical insurance has covered me so far, but I need to get back to work. I saw some business premises up for lease a few blocks from here, which I think might be suitable. The rent seems pretty reasonable too."

Emily looked at her knowingly. "I think you're more than just thinking about it," she said. "I think you've already made up your mind."

"Maybe," Chloe conceded. "You don't think I'm jumping the gun, do you?"

"With Wyatt, you mean?"

"Yeah."

Emily paused to think about it for a moment. "No, he seems pretty keen to me," she decided. "I think he'll be thrilled about you coming to live here. You have thought this through properly though, haven't you? I mean, Wyatt's not the only reason for the move, right?"

Chloe shook her head. "No – it's not just that. My accident made me take stock and re-evaluate my life. I could have died without ever knowing what it was like to live outside of Oakenvale, Emily. While you were here experiencing this exciting new life in San Francisco, I was still stuck in the same old routine, and I want so much more from my life than that."

Emily nodded. "And here's me thinking you'd actually missed me," she quipped.

"You know I have," Chloe told her. "It's been really dull back home without you. I want to be nearer to you, as well as Wyatt. You don't mind me crashing your party, do you?"

"No, of course not - the more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. I tried to persuade you to come with me in the first place, remember?"

"Yeah, I know. I couldn't see my way out of the rut I was in back then though. I was convinced that moving away would mean the end of my therapy practice, and I'd worked so hard to build it up."

"So what's different now? Besides the obvious, of course."

"I guess I finally realised that my oh-so-logical reasoning was kind of crazy. I mean, there are people, who are stressed out and in need of some life-style advice everywhere. In fact, I'll probably be more successful here in the big city, than I was back in Oakenvale."

"So when are you going to tell Wyatt?"

"Soon, I guess. Hopefully he won't think I'm a bunny-boiler or something."

Emily laughed. "He's not going to think that, Chloe. He's crazy about you."

"It's only been a month though, Emily. He might think that me uprooting my whole life, and moving here to be near him, is a bit extreme - especially at this early stage in our relationship."

"It's closer to two months actually," her cousin revised. "And okay, so he didn't ask you out straightaway, but, come on, there was a definite spark from day one. I think you've both had long enough to figure out whether you have something that's worth pursuing, don't you?"

Before Chloe could reply, Wyatt orbed back in, unwittingly interrupting their conversation. "Got it," he said, holding up the now full jar.

"I thought I'd never get away though," he added, throwing a speculative look in Chloe's direction. "Mom and the Aunts were asking questions."

"About me?" Chloe asked apprehensively.

Wyatt nodded as he sat down beside her again. "I think little brother's been shooting his mouth off," he told her ruefully. "I mean I told them I was dating someone new, but I have been playing it down a bit. The family can be pretty full on when they set their minds to it, and I didn't want them to scare you off."

"Okay, so now you're making me nervous."

Wyatt chuckled. "No, I didn't mean it like that – my family are great - individually. On mass though, they can be a bit much, especially when you don't know them very well. I thought I'd let you figure out whether I'm worth it or not before I throw you in at the deep end."

"Oh, you're worth it," Chloe said automatically, unconsciously letting her heart do the talking, rather than her head.

Wyatt beamed, his blue eyes softening with pleasure. "I am?" he asked in a delighted tone.

"Yes," Chloe replied honestly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Gripping her around the waist, Wyatt tugged Chloe into his lap, wrapping his arms fully around her. They then leaned in for a kiss, drawn together like opposite poles on a magnet. As the strength of their newly admitted feelings for each other infused the kiss, the embrace quickly heated up, turning much more passionate.

"Ahem! Other person in the room in case you've forgotten," Emily reminded them, when the slow, sensual smooch threatened to break the boundaries of acceptable public behaviour. The couple broke apart and smiled sheepishly at Emily, and then rather goofily at one another.

Emily smiled back at them. "See, I told you there wouldn't be any problem," she told her cousin.

"Wouldn't be any problem with what?" Wyatt asked curiously.

"I, umm… I've been thinking about…Oh!"

Chloe suddenly broke off with a sharp gasp as a quintet of black-robed demons shimmered into the apartment. The evil intent from their combined auras hit her like a fully loaded freight train, instantly paralysing her with sickening dread.

"Get down," her boyfriend cried out, suddenly diving off the chair and pulling her to the floor with him.

As they crashed to the ground, there was a flash of blue light, as Wyatt hastily erected his shield to protect the two of them from the orange fireballs aimed in their direction. Glancing harmlessly off the shimmering force field, the fiery weapons whistled over the top of their heads and promptly set alight to the drapes hanging from the kitchen window.

"Vase," Wyatt said, gesturing at the glass object on the breakfast counter.

The vase dissolved into blue lights and reappeared by the window, emptying its contents over the burning drapes and extinguishing the flames.

"Quickly - under the table," he instructed a frightened Chloe.

Once she was out of harm's way, Wyatt dropped his shield and rose determinedly to his feet to deal with their attackers. There were only three remaining, but he didn't have time to consider where the other two had gone, protecting Chloe was the only thing that mattered right now. Without giving any warning, he gestured at the three demons with his hand, the expression on his face grimly resolute.

Huddled under the table, Chloe felt the resulting shockwave of energy in every fibre of her being and she shuddered with the almighty power of it. Her aura-sensing ability had given her an inkling of her new boyfriend's magical supremacy, but the reality of it was almost mind-blowing. Agonised screams filled the air, followed by three separate explosions, and then there was silence.

Moments later, Wyatt's handsome face appeared before her. "It's all right, they've gone now," he told her soothingly, as she crawled out from under the table and he helped her to her feet.

"Are you okay?" he asked, gently cupping the side of her face in his hand, after brushing a few stray strands of her hair away from her cheek.

Wiping her sweaty palms on her short denim skirt, Chloe sucked in a deep, calming breath and nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," she assured him, and then her violet-blue eyes widened as a horrible realisation struck her.

"Oh my God – Emily!"

Her breath heaving in panicked gasps, Chloe cast about the kitchen, searching blindly for her cousin. Her eyes only confirmed what she already knew though, and she turned back to Wyatt, her heart hammering with ice-cold fear.

"They took Emily."

**OOOOO**

**_Meanwhile, on the other side of town…_**

"Why are these places always down rat-infested alleyways?" Bianca complained, wrinkling her nose in disgust as they picked their way down one such street.

Chris laughed. "There are no rats, Bianca," he assured her.

"Says you," his girlfriend retorted, eying the various dark corners with suspicion.

Just as he opened his mouth to respond, a hollow rushing sound filled Chris's ears, and his brother's voice came to him from back at their apartment. "Chris, get your ass back here now!"

Hearing the sharp edge of urgency in Wyatt's tone, Chris quickly turned to Bianca. "We've got to go," he informed her. "Something's wrong."

Grabbing her hand in his, he quickly orbed them back to the apartment. The kitchen was in disarray, chairs overturned, charred drapes at the window, and three humanoid-shaped scorch marks on the far wall. In the centre of the room stood Wyatt, his arms about a pale and shaking Chloe, and an expression of livid anger painted across his face.

"What happened?" Chris demanded sharply.

"Demons," his brother spat out from between clenched teeth. "They have Emily."

"What kind of demons?"

"I don't know – it looked like they belonged to some satanic sect or something. They had these strange designs on their robes."

Chris nodded as he took that in. "I take it you've tried sensing for her?" he asked.

His brother just looked at him. "Okay – so stupid question. We should check these demons out in the Book of Shadows."

Wyatt wordlessly agreed to his sibling's plan with a brief incline of his head, and the two witch-whitelighters promptly orbed out to their childhood home, taking their girlfriends with them.

**OOOOO**

_**At the Halliwell Manor…**_

Piper Halliwell-Wyatt placed her hands on her hips and surveyed the hopelessly untidy attic with a sigh.

"Tell me something," she said to her two sisters. "Why do we even bother doing this year after year, when we know we never get anywhere with it?"

The three women were currently mid-way through their annual attempt to de-junk the Halliwell Manor attic of several generation's worth of its possessions. About this time every year, they spent an entire day up here, packing things into boxes to be donated to charitable causes, and sweeping the surfaces clean of twelve month's worth of accumulated dust.

Every year though, when the task was finally complete, the room still looked as disorderly as ever - and only slightly less dusty. Piper was positive therefore, that someone in the dim and distant past had cast a spell to keep the level of clutter in the attic constant, making this expenditure of energy completely pointless, not to mention an utter waste of their time.

"It's tradition, Piper," Phoebe told her, wiping away the beads of sweat from her brow as she vigorously scrubbed at the stained-glass window with a damp cloth.

"Yeah," her youngest sister chimed in, folding up some of Chris and Wyatt's baby clothes and putting them into a box. "It's not about the cleaning anyway, it's more about us having some 'three' time."

Piper had to smile at that, but then she frowned as she became aware of what Paige was doing. "Hey! Put those back," she said, moving forward to rescue the tiny garments from her sister's clutches.

"And she wonders why we never get anywhere," Paige commented over her shoulder to her other sister.

"I've given most of them away," Piper retorted defensively, as she carefully placed the precious clothing back in the wooden chest from which it had originally come. "And besides - are you saying that you haven't got some of your daughter's baby things stashed away in a bottom drawer somewhere?"

Paige smiled, her eyes soft with nostalgia. "Okay, so you've got me there," she conceded.

There was a musical tinkling sound then, and Piper looked up to see her two grown-up sons materialising out of a cloud of blue orb lights, Bianca and a young blonde woman she didn't recognise in tow. Both Chris and Wyatt's expressions were bleak, while their unknown female companion was clearly distraught about something.

"What is it? What's wrong?" she asked worriedly, her voice filled with maternal concern.

"A group of demons attacked. They kidnapped Emily," her youngest child informed her as he let go of his girlfriend's hand and strode over to the Book of Shadows.

Emily – the name rang a bell, only she wasn't quite sure – oh yes, the potion-maker that her sons had recently become friendly with – the great granddaughter of one of Leo's former charges.

Piper's gaze fell on her eldest then and she watched as he gently urged his distressed friend to sit down on the old sofa in the centre of the attic. Kneeling down in front of her, he took her hands in his and gazed up into her face.

"Listen – we will find her," he said soothingly. "I promise, okay?"

"What if they hurt her?" the girl asked in a trembling voice.

"Then they'll pay," Wyatt replied grimly. "But it won't come to that – I won't let it."

"I'm so scared for her, Wyatt."

"I know, baby, I know, but you need to be strong. Emily needs you to be strong."

The pretty, blonde-haired woman sucked in a deep breath, obviously trying to gather her reserves of strength. After closing her eyes for a moment, she squared her shoulders and nodded at him.

"Okay – I'm okay," she said, her voice much steadier now.

As if it was the most natural thing on the world, Wyatt leaned forward and tenderly kissed her, finally clueing Piper in to who the enigmatic young woman was. So, this was the mysterious Chloe, huh? Chris was obviously right – Wyatt's new relationship was clearly much more serious than he'd been letting on.

Rising to his feet, her eldest son turned towards his brother, who was leafing through the Book of Shadows, searching for anything relevant. As he stood at Chris's shoulder looking at the Book, Wyatt gradually seemed to realise what his actions had just given away. Shifting uncomfortably, he threw an anxious glance at his girlfriend before he eventually lifted his eyes to meet his mother's calm, questioning gaze.

At the same time, Chloe suddenly became aware of her surroundings and scrambled awkwardly to her feet. She quickly gravitated over towards Wyatt, throwing a wary glance in Piper's direction as she did so. Wyatt calmly stepped out from behind the Book of Shadows and placed his hands reassuringly on her shoulders, his thumbs lightly kneading the back of her neck.

"Mom, Aunt Paige, Aunt Phoebe – this is Chloe," he introduced her.

"She's Emily's cousin," he added pointedly, and Piper could hear the faint plea behind the innocuous words. _'Don't give her the third degree now, Mom, please.'_

Piper was slightly offended. Who did her son think she was? Okay, so she was an overprotective mother – for a damn good reason – but she wasn't a monster. The girl was clearly distressed and she wasn't about to make the situation worse.

Chloe nodded and smiled tentatively at the three legendary witches. "Hi!"

"Not the best circumstances to meet the new boyfriend's family for the first time, huh?" Phoebe said with gentle understanding.

Chloe shook her head. "No, not exactly," she agreed.

"Well, it's okay honey, we don't bite," Paige warmly assured her.

"Most of the time anyway," Chris cut in, looking up from the Book with a grin. He turned the page and frowned. "Is this them?" he asked, suddenly all business.

Wyatt and Chloe quickly crossed the room to look at the illustration in the Book. As the two of them read the inscription on the yellowing page, Piper took quiet note of how her son kept his arm around his girlfriend's slim shoulders - and the way in which she leaned into him for support as well.

Chloe was certainly beautiful. She was medium-tall, with large violet-blue eyes and long, sandy-blonde hair, which was swept up into a high ponytail. She was dressed relatively modestly in a mid-thigh length denim skirt and a simple white v-necked t-shirt, and exuded a quiet sense of normal that Piper decided she approved of. Too many of her sons' suitors were only after one thing.

"Don't worry, she's crazy about him," Phoebe bent and murmured in her ear.

"Phoebe! You did not read her, shame on you!" Paige admonished, and then smiled. "So it's all good, huh?"

"Well, some of it was rather naughty actually," Phoebe said, her eyes shining with mirth. "But in a good way," she added, shooting a sly, sidelong look at her elder sister.

Her expression sobered then. "She's petrified for her cousin though. She's mildly empathic herself and she knows that the demons that took her didn't have good things in mind."

Piper nodded. "Then I guess we better help the boys find her then," she decided and strode over to join her sons. Her two sisters quickly followed on her heels.

"Have you ever dealt with 'The Order of Kevlar'?" Wyatt asked them as they approached.

Piper shook her head in answer to her son's question. "No, I don't think so."

"The Book says that they're extremely powerful upper level demons, but not much else," Wyatt told her. "I'd rather not go into the situation blind unless I have to, especially not with Emily's safety at stake. I can't afford to make any mistakes with this one."

"Maybe Dad will know something?" Chris suggested.

Piper immediately lifted her face to the ceiling and called out for her husband. "Leo!"

The Elder appeared beside her, moments later. "Have you heard of 'The Order of Kevlar'?" she asked him, without any preamble.

Leo's face immediately clouded over. "Yes – they're a demonic cult, extreme fanatics. They worship a mysterious dark Lord, who they believe will come to rescue them from the tyranny of good magic."

"They attacked the boys," Piper informed him. Leo's gaze promptly swung towards his sons, his blue-green eyes filled with concern.

"We're fine, Dad," Wyatt quickly assured him. "They took Emily though."

The Elder nodded, his expression sombre. "She's probably collateral," he said gravely.

"How do you mean?" Piper asked, although she thought she already knew the answer.

"I expect what they really want is Wyatt," Leo said, confirming his wife's suspicions, "Or rather – his power. Emily's probably just a tool to bargain with, a means of gaining his cooperation."

"Well, they're going the wrong way about it," Wyatt said firmly. "I don't do blackmail in any shape or form."

"You might need to if you don't want Emily to get hurt," Leo warned, deadly serious now. "I know giving into their demands is reprehensible, but, believe me, they won't think twice about carrying out their threats. Cooperating with them might be the only way to get your friend back safe and sound."

The silence that followed this statement was finally broken by Chloe's quiet sob, which she quickly tried to stifle with the palm of her hand. Wyatt hugged her close, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head as he rocked her gently in his arms. As he rubbed his hand up and down her back, he looked across at his brother, his blue eyes troubled.

Chris looked back at him, the same sense of foreboding mirrored in his own gaze. They both knew that if they got this wrong, Emily might not make it out alive. The young red-haired witch had become such a big part of their lives, and the prospect of losing her filled them both with dread.

A mistake would be extremely costly…

_**To be continued…**_

* * *

I know you're going to be cursing me - considering where I ended this chapter - but they'll be a delay before the next part is posted, as I'm going away on holiday for a few days. See ya when I get back! 

**Re: Victorious Light** – glad you like the way I'm portraying Chris. I said at the beginning he'd be a little bit different from 'canon Chris'. I wanted to show how what the other Chris did affected his future self's life – in both good ways, and also maybe not so good ways.

**Re: Queen Isa** – thanks for your suggestions. This story has been planned out in quite a lot of detail right from the beginning and I've pretty much stuck to the original storyline so far. Well, until I got to this chapter anyway! I thought this was a better way to get to where I wanted to be in a few chapters time. I will definitely be returning to the planned storyline afterwards however - it all has to end a certain way because of a possible sequel. If I was stuck for ideas though, I'd use yours (with credit, of course!) because they sound interesting. :-)

**Re: Phoebe Turner – **thanks for your idea too (see reply above to Queen Isa).

**Re: Kyrra** – glad you love this story :-)

**Re: CharmedClover** – Matthew originally played a bigger part, but a lot of his appearances have been cut, because I've changed the plotline for the next few chapters quite significantly from what I originally had planned. He will show up at some point though.

**Re: Nubilina** – Bianca does find out at some point but not just at the moment.

**Re: Martina G** – I wanted to tell this story from Emily/Chloe's POV at the beginning to add some mystery so to speak. However, you need to know about things from Wyatt/Chris's POV now, because some of their later actions won't make sense if you don't know what's behind them. We'll be hearing from Wyatt shortly…

**Re: everyone else who left a review** – thanks – they're much appreciated :-)


	15. The Sword of Simzar

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Apologies for the lack of updates; real life has been extremely busy of late. I have more time to write again now though. In case you've forgotten, members of a demonic cult have just kidnapped Emily.

Thanks for all the reviews – a few quick replies below:

**Re: mip3** – my mistake with the 'Wyatt Halliwell' thing.

**Re: ChrisloverCharmed** – yeah, I know Kevlar is what they use for bulletproof vests. Just my little joke because I always think the names I come up with for demons are really lame :-) I wondered if anyone would spot it.

**Re:IcantthinkofaFnick – **Yeah, I'm planning on having the cousins making a cameo appearance at some point, just not yet. I suppose I've sort of made Bianca a non-practising witch without really meaning to, but it fits the storyline now.

**Re:alienangel19852003** – yeah, I'm mean to poor Emily, aren't I? I like her really, I promise!

**_

* * *

Last time… _**

"I expect what they really want is Wyatt," Leo said. "Or rather – his power. Emily's probably just a tool to bargain with, a means of gaining his cooperation."

"Well, they're going the wrong way about it," Wyatt said firmly. "I don't do blackmail in any shape or form."

"You might need to if you don't want Emily to get hurt," Leo warned, deadly serious now. "I know giving into their demands is reprehensible, but, believe me, they won't think twice about carrying out their threats. Cooperating with them might be the only way to get your friend back safe and sound."

The silence that followed this statement was finally broken by Chloe's quiet sob, which she quickly tried to stifle with the palm of her hand. Wyatt hugged her close, dropping a kiss on the crown of her head as he rocked her gently in his arms. As he rubbed his hand up and down her back, he looked across at his brother, his blue eyes troubled.

Chris looked back at him, the same sense of foreboding mirrored in his own gaze. They both knew that if they got this wrong, Emily might not make it out alive. The young red-haired witch had become such a big part of their lives, and the prospect of losing her filled them both with dread.

A mistake would be extremely costly…

**

* * *

Chapter 15 **

"Right," Piper said decisively. "We'd better get prepared. Does the Book have a vanquishing potion?"

Chris nodded absently, his mind still occupied with thoughts of Emily. "Yeah, but it only works on the lower ranks. The High Priests are immune to it."

"Well, they're not immune to me," Wyatt said fiercely, still holding a sobbing Chloe in the circle of his arms.

"Honey, you know you can't use your absolute vanquishing power in close quarters," Piper reminded him.

"And you can guarantee that these demons have their base in some dark and dingy cave down in the Underworld," Paige put in helpfully.

Phoebe nodded in agreement. "Your power's way too indiscriminate, Wyatt," she said, adding her two cents worth to the debate. "Innocents could get caught in the crossfire."

"Do you _have_ to be so logical?" Wyatt complained in a disgruntled tone, even though he knew they were right.

Sometimes he wondered what the point was in having the power to vanquish almost anything, when you could only use it under certain circumstances. If Chloe hadn't been out of harm's way under the table earlier, and Emily already taken by two of their attackers, then the encounter at his apartment wouldn't have ended as quickly as it had. He'd only been able to unleash his power safely because the three demons were the only magical beings standing in the path of its destructive energy wave.

"Sweetie, I know you're angry about your friend, but you can't afford to lose your head," his mother told him, pulling him out of his thoughts and back into the present.

"I know, I know; I'm sorry. So what do we do – just wait?"

"For the time being, yes, I think you do. If your Dad is right, then they'll come to you."

"I guess," Wyatt agreed dubiously.

"All right; your Aunts and I will get started on the vanquishing potion then. The fewer demons we have to deal with when the time comes, the better. Bianca and Chloe can help us."

"Me?" Chloe stuttered, lifting her tear-stained face from Wyatt's chest at the sound of her name. "But I can't…"

"Of course you can," Piper cut her off brusquely. "You're a potion-maker, aren't you?"

"Well yes, but Emily's the talented one, not me."

"You'll be fine," Piper said firmly, taking hold of her elbow and steering her over towards the door.

Paige picked up the Book of Shadows and then she, Phoebe and Bianca followed Piper and Chloe out of the room, leaving the two brothers and their father alone in the attic. Wyatt watched them go, slightly unnerved by their abrupt departure. He and Chris were used to taking a back seat when a magical emergency involved the whole family like this, despite the fact that they dealt with a lot of situations by themselves nowadays

Things had changed in recent months however. Instead of taking charge like they usually did, his Mom and Aunts had been surreptitiously manoeuvring him into the lead, whenever a crisis brought them together. He knew there had to be a good reason behind it, but he couldn't fathom it out. It was so unlike them to be so unassuming and laid-back about things.

"It's time, Wyatt," Leo said quietly, uncannily guessing his son's thoughts before he had the chance to voice them. "They know it and so do you."

"Time for what?"

"For you to take on your birthright," his father replied, sounding like he had swallowed a magical history book.

Wyatt sighed. "I don't get a choice, do I?"

Leo smiled faintly. "You've already made it, son."

"I have?"

"It might not have been one single, defining moment, but you chose this life, Wyatt. We only showed you the way."

Wyatt nodded, knowing that was true. The term 'birthright' was misnomer however – it wasn't really an inheritance. It was just who he was; the reason he existed, he guessed. That didn't mean he wasn't apprehensive about living up to his prophesised destiny though. The so-called 'Twice-Blessed Child' was a mythical entity, just meaningless words on the page of a book. Wyatt, however, was a living, breathing human being with all the inevitable flaws.

"It's a hard act to follow," he said in a rueful tone.

Leo smiled. "I have faith in you. Both of you," he added, flickering a glance at his other son.

"Great," Chris said sardonically. "Not only do I have to put up with having the most powerful witch alive for a brother, I get to be his minion too."

"You're a whole lot more than that, Chris," Leo told him.

"Do I have to be?" his younger son asked plaintively.

"Oh yeah," Wyatt cut in. "If I have to do this whole 'destiny' thing, then you're sure as hell coming along for the ride."

"I don't think it'll be as difficult as you expect," Leo told his sons. "You don't honestly believe your Mom and Aunts are capable of sitting in the background and keeping their mouths shut, do you? You'll be given their advice whether you like it or not. The difference is, it's your choice whether you accept it or not."

"So, no pressure there, bro," Chris quipped, his tone light and teasing, but his green eyes filled with silent empathy.

Wyatt sat down heavily and dropped his forehead into his hands. The pressure of his destiny he could handle, it was the personal implications of failing to save Emily that he was struggling to deal with. As well as losing a good friend, he knew that Chloe would never look at him in the same way again if anything bad happened to her cousin. The prospect made his blood run cold and turned his insides to ice.

"Wyatt?"

Wyatt lifted his head, meeting his father's concerned gaze. "I'm all right, it's just…"

"This girl is special, huh?" Leo guessed.

Wyatt averted his eyes from his father's penetrating gaze, but nodded nonetheless. Leo sat down next to him and placed a comforting hand on his back.

"Listen to me – you can do this. You just need to trust in who you are. Follow your instincts and everything will turn out fine."

Wyatt drew in a deep breath and squared his shoulders, hoping, for everyone's sake, that his father was right. An hour later, they were still waiting for word from Emily's kidnappers though, and he was beginning to think that this wasn't about him, after all. If that was the case, then they were wasting precious time sitting around doing nothing. Anything could be happening to Emily while they were procrastinating.

To distract himself from that awful possibility, Wyatt focused his attention on his immediate surroundings and tried to ignore the cold dread building in the pit of his stomach. He could hear the quiet murmur of voices drifting upwards from below – the women were still brewing up the vanquishing potion in the kitchen. Upstairs, his father sat calmly beside him on the sofa, seemingly unconcerned by the delay, while his brother paced in tight, agitated circles in front of them, almost wearing a hole in the floorboards in the process.

Wyatt was somewhat surprised by the extent of Chris's concern for Emily, although deep down he knew he probably shouldn't be. The friendship that had developed between his brother and the young potion-maker was particularly close. In fact, he realised with a sudden bolt of clarity, if it wasn't for Bianca, things between the two of them might have progressed in a different direction entirely.

Wyatt shook his head as that thought crossed his mind. Where had it come from? He had never once imagined his brother with anyone other than Bianca before. It was strange, yet somehow not as improbable as it first seemed. That realisation shook him to the core and he immediately felt guilty for even thinking it. Chris and Bianca were destined to be together, everyone knew that. Once his brother had gotten over his cold feet, all would be as it should be, Wyatt was sure of it. He was crazy to think any different.

"What's taking so long?"

Jolted out of his internal musings, Wyatt glanced up at Chris's frustrated exclamation. His brother had ceased his endless pacing, and was now looking down at the empty lectern, that usually held the Book of Shadows, as if he expected it to answer his question for him.

"I don't know," Wyatt replied, standing up and moving purposely towards the scrying table, no longer able to remain inactive. "I think we should…"

He broke off and span around as a pair of demons shimmered into the attic. Standing shoulder to shoulder, and dressed in ceremonial robes, their thin angular faces were full of lofty disdain, as if they viewed themselves as superior to everyone else. Before Wyatt could even react to their presence though, a spinning object suddenly whistled past his ear, hitting one of the demons square in the chest.

His expression filled with utmost astonishment, the mortally wounded demon looked down at the athame lodged in his torso, and then slowly toppled over backwards, his eyes rolling up into his head as he did so. He hit the ground with a dull thud, his body disintegrating on impact while his clothes caught fire and burnt to cinders.

Finally, all that remained of him was a pile of ash, on top of which sat a silver knife that flashed as it caught the sunlight streaming in through the attic's stained-glass window. Recognising the athame as the one belonging to the Mazesh demon, who had attacked Emily a few months before, Wyatt sprang, belatedly, into action.

"Chris!" he snapped sharply, moving towards his brother, his hand outstretched.

Leo was quicker though – he'd already orbed in behind his enraged son. Grasping hold of Chris's wrists in a firm grip, he restrained his hands down by his sides, preventing him from using his telekinesis power again as he bent to murmur in his ear. Wyatt couldn't hear what his father was saying to Chris, but the murderous glint in his green eyes gradually faded. Satisfied that his brother had gotten his temper under control, Wyatt turned to address the remaining intruder.

"What do you want?" he demanded, getting straight to the point.

The demon was looking at what was left of his companion however. He lifted his head and glared at Chris. "You will pay for that," he said, his voice dry and dusty.

Wyatt deliberately stepped between them, blocking his brother from the angry demon's view.

"I doubt that was why you were sent here," he remarked, folding his arms across his chest. "And I'm betting that there's a heavy price to pay if you don't deliver your message satisfactorily."

That seemed to get the demon's attention; Wyatt could have sworn he saw a look of abject terror flash cross the messenger's face. As the demon drew himself up to his full height and prepared to speak however, the fear was replaced by a look of cool superiority.

"If you want your friend back safe and unharmed, you will do as we command."

"And if I don't?"

"Then she will die an extremely painful and agonising death."

Wyatt felt slightly sick at the relish with which this pronouncement was delivered. With effort, he kept his anger in check though; his father's warning that these demons wouldn't think twice about carrying out their threats still in the forefront of his mind.

"Okay, I'm listening," he said calmly.

"You will retrieve the sword of Our Great Lord, Simzar, from the Tomb of Horrors, and bring it to us at the appointed time and place, twenty-four hours hence."

Wyatt hadn't the faintest idea what they were talking about, so he shot an enquiring look at his father to see if he knew. Leo nodded imperceptibly, informing his son that he understood.

"And this 'appointed place' – where is it?"

"We will inform you of that once you have retrieved the sword."

"And Emily won't be harmed in the meantime?"

"Not beyond what is necessary."

"She better not be hurt at all if you want me to do what you want."

"You dare to make demands of us?"

"Yes actually, I do," Wyatt said, his blue eyes glittering dangerously. "Get used to it."

He understood his position perfectly – they would kill Emily without hesitation if he failed to comply with their demands. However, the situation cut both ways - they needed him, which meant he wasn't completely at their mercy. He had the power to bargain and he was definitely going to use it to ensure Emily's safety. The demon looked like he wanted to refuse, but it appeared he also understood the realities of the situation.

"Very well, she will not be harmed," he agreed reluctantly.

"Then you have yourselves a deal."

The demon nodded and shimmered out. Wyatt turned to look at Chris, who held up his hands in apology.

"I'm sorry; I don't know what came over me. I … it's Emily, you know?"

Wyatt nodded. "I know," he said solemnly, before shifting his gaze from his brother to his father. "So what is the Sword of Simzar?" he asked. "And why do they need me to get it for them?"

Leo opened his mouth to reply, but then stopped. "Perhaps everyone should hear this," he decided. "Come on, let's go downstairs."

The three of them orbed down to the kitchen, where the Charmed Ones, Chloe and Bianca were still brewing up batches of the vanquishing potion.

"We had a visitation," Wyatt announced.

"Is… is Emily all right?" Chloe asked, her violet-blue eyes wide and fearful.

Wyatt crossed to sit down beside her at the table. "She's safe for now," he said, taking her hands in his. "And I promise I will do everything to make sure it stays that way, okay?"

Chloe nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Something told her that if Wyatt did everything he could to help Emily, he would put himself in danger too, and all that did was escalate her anxiety.

"What do they want?" Piper asked her son.

"For me to get some sword from… what was it? Oh yes, the Tomb of Horrors. Sounds like something out of an old movie, doesn't it? Like in those Indiana Jones films."

Piper had to smile at what her son classed as an 'old movie.' To her that meant something like 'Casablanca', or 'Breakfast at Tiffany's', not 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom'.

"Why do they want you to get it?" she asked.

"I don't know – Dad was just going to tell us."

Leo cleared his throat as all eyes immediately turned to him. "The Sword of Simzar is Excalibur's evil counterpart," he explained. "The Order of Kevlar believes that the weapon is intended for their coming saviour. The sword is concealed in the so-called Tomb of Horrors."

"What do you mean 'so-called'?" Paige asked.

Leo shrugged. "It's a myth. There are spells and enchantments surrounding the sword to ward off unwanted intruders, but the Tomb of Horrors is taking it a bit far. Like Excalibur, the sword has its own in-built protection; it's sealed in stone in the same way."

"And it can't be removed by just anyone?" Paige guessed.

Leo nodded. "I should have realised that was what they wanted in the first place. You see only someone who has drawn Excalibur can touch the Sword of Simzar."

"Wait a minute – are you saying that they think I'm their 'Dark Lord'?" Wyatt asked incredulously.

Leo laughed. "No – your blood is tainted by the power of good magic. It'd be unthinkable to them to have you as their leader."

"Is Wyatt in any danger from this sword if he touches it?" Piper asked her husband, her brown eyes filled with concern.

Leo sighed. "Yes and no. It has the power to corrupt in the same way that Excalibur does, but I'm sure Wyatt has the strength to withstand it."

"I turned evil before though - in the other timeline," Wyatt pointed out. "Why would it be different now?"

"You were just a baby then, Wyatt. You're a man now - you know the consequences of your actions, understand the pain you are capable of inflicting if you choose to. Just trust in yourself and remember what the other Chris sacrificed for you, for all of us. That will give you the strength to resist. I'm certain of it."

Wyatt looked over at his brother, who nodded at him encouragingly, despite the grave expression on his face. Chloe squeezed his hand and he turned back to her face her, looking down into her beautiful violet-blue eyes. While he could see both worry and concern reflected in her gaze, it was her trust and faith in him that shone most brightly.

This bolstered his courage and steadied his resolve. He could do this, he could. Turning evil might be his worst nightmare, but he wasn't about to let that fear beat him, especially not when Emily was depending on him to rescue her. His Dad was right; he would never willingly betray the other Chris's memory, or the people he loved. As long as he kept that in mind, the darkness had no real power over him.

Drawing in a deep breath, he let it out slowly, and then lifted his eyes to meet his father's expectant gaze.

"Okay, so where exactly do I find the Tomb of Horrors?"

**OOOOO**

_**Somewhere deep in the Underworld…**_

Emily was cold, chilled to the bone in fact, every muscle in her body ached as if she'd run a marathon. Her eyelids felt heavy, but she forced them open, needing to know where she was. As her vision cleared, she realised she was trapped, her ankles and wrists were fettered by four sets of manacles, secured to the metal bars of a cage.

Chained as she was, there wasn't much room for movement, but she managed to adjust her position so that she could look out over the vast underground cavern in which she was being held. There were various demons in black robes milling about, talking idly amongst themselves. Nearby, a huge throne-like chair stood with two smaller ones situated either side of it. All three were unoccupied.

There was a bustle of activity in the far corner of the cave then, and two figures emerged from the crowd. Dressed in scarlet and black robes, they strode confidently towards the three gold and ruby inlaid chairs. A hush fell over the gathered throng as they seated themselves, but nothing happened to warrant it. The Cult Leaders simply sat in silence, obviously waiting for something – or someone to arrive. Finally, after what seemed like an hour to Emily, but was probably no more than five minutes, a solitary demon shimmered into the cave, directly in front of the dais where the three jewelled chairs were positioned.

"Your reverences, it is done," he intoned formally.

"The Twice-Blessed Child agreed to our demands?" the priest on the right asked.

Emily jumped in surprise; they were talking about Wyatt. Did that mean he and Chloe were all right?

"Provided the girl remains unharmed, yes," the demon replied. "He was most insistent about that."

"Was he now?" the other priest commented in a wry tone.

"Yes, your holiness."

"No matter – his arrogant defiance proves he is worthy of his task."

"Yes, your holiness," the demon replied sycophantically.

"Where is Athzan?" the first priest asked then.

The demon's expression hardened at the question, his eyes flashing with hatred.

"The brother killed him!" he spat out and Emily winced at the vehemence in his tone.

"You did not retaliate?" the second priest demanded sharply.

"No, your honour. I had my sacred duty to uphold. Therefore, I could not, even though he was my cousin."

The two priests looked at each other and then nodded at their underling, obviously pleased with his answer.

"You have performed your task well, Krizan. You will be rewarded for your loyalty. Ask and you shall receive."

The demon hesitated for a moment, but then seemed to work up the courage to ask for what he wanted. "Am I to understand that the younger Halliwell is of no consequence to the Order?"

"That is the case, yes."

"Then may I take my revenge for the murder of my cousin?"

"When the sword is in our possession then yes, you may. However, you will not go after him until that time. The Twice-Blessed Child must not be distracted."

"Yes, your honour." The demon bowed so deeply, his nose almost touched his knees.

"Very well, you are dismissed."

That seemed to be the cue for the general conversation to resume. Emily closed her eyes, struggling to comprehend what she had just heard. She was a hostage, she understood that much, and Wyatt was being forced to bow to these demon's demands to ensure her safe return. Worse still, the demon priests had just given their minion permission to kill Chris, and she was the only one who knew he was in danger. Her heart constricted painfully inside her chest and a soft, involuntary moan escaped her lips.

"Your honour, the girl is awake!"

Emily froze in terror.

_**To be continued…**_


	16. The Tomb of Horrors

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **New chapter for you. Hope you enjoy! Thanks for all the reviews. Much appreciated. Replies to individual reviews at the end. Oh and I should warn you - things are starting to hot up between Chloe and Wyatt ;-)

**

* * *

Chapter 16 **

Chloe stood quietly in the corner of the kitchen, feeling distinctly out of place as she watched the Charmed Ones deliberate how best to combat the evil enchantments surrounding the fabled Sword of Simzar. The three women were sitting around the kitchen table, their heads bent over a piece of paper filled with scribbles and crossings out.

Chloe had never attempted to write her own spell before, so she hadn't appreciated the effort that went into such a task. It was more than just the words, she realised; the whole tone of the spell had to be exactly right in order for it to do its job properly. While the three legendary witches did seem to have an innate feel for what would and wouldn't work, they had still been labouring over it for almost an hour now.

Chloe sighed and glanced at her watch, for the tenth time in as many minutes. Why weren't Wyatt and Chris back yet? They'd been gone ages. Following a somewhat heated debate - during which Wyatt had insisted his mother and Aunts stay behind while he and Chris went in search of the Sword - the two brothers had disappeared off somewhere together. Chloe presumed that they'd gone to make preparations for their trip, but she didn't understand what was taking so long.

She looked over at Bianca, but the other girl didn't seem the slightest bit bothered by her boyfriend's continued absence. Instead, she sat listening to Piper, Phoebe and Paige with interest, obviously fascinated by the process that went into concocting a spell of such power and magnitude. Realising that no-one was paying her any real attention, Chloe quietly slipped out of the kitchen and went in search of her boyfriend and his younger brother.

They weren't in the living room or the conservatory, so she took the stairs up to the first floor. As she stepped out onto the landing, the faint echo of voices reached her ears and she quickened her pace, following the murmuring sound along the corridor and up the short staircase leading to the attic. When she was about halfway up, Chris's voice suddenly broke free from the background hum of conversation.

"No way, forget about it. I'm not letting you go on your own."

Wyatt said something in return, which she couldn't quite catch, to which his brother immediately replied.

"Mom and the Aunts can take care of that. You need me there with you. Someone's got to talk you out of going all evil and insane when you put your hand on that sword."

This time Chloe heard Wyatt's response.

"I handle Excalibur well enough."

"That's different and you know it. Excalibur is inherently good, even if it does get some rather tyrannical ideas every now and again. This sword is as evil as they come and it's sure as hell going to want to use you to do its bidding, especially given how much power you have. I'm coming with you whether you like it or not, Wyatt, so stop being so insufferably noble. We're in this together, we always have been."

Feeling guilty about eavesdropping on a private conversation, Chloe decided to make her presence known, and so rapped lightly on the wooden doorframe. "Hey!"

"Hey!" Wyatt turned and smiled warmly at her. "Have Mom and the others finished the spell?"

"Umm… nearly I think," Chloe replied hesitantly, feeling strangely awkward as she stood uncertainly just inside the doorway.

"I'll go and see how they're getting on," Chris said to his brother, sensing that his company was no longer required.

Picking up one of the two backpacks sitting on the couch, he shouldered it and left, his booted feet clopping on the steps as he descended to the floor below. Wyatt moved across the room to join his girlfriend.

"How are you holding up?" he asked gently, brushing the backs of his fingers against her cheek.

"Umm, okay, I guess," Chloe replied, her eyes downcast. "I mean, I'm scared for Emily, but I know you're doing everything you can to help her." She looked up at him then, her violet-blue gaze filled with concern. "You will be careful, won't you?"

Wyatt took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead, then took her hand and drew her over to the couch. "Come here."

He sat down and pulled her into his lap. "I'll be fine. I'll have my little bro to watch my back, won't I? Seeing as he's so insistent on coming with me."

"You could tell him to stay behind like you did with your Mom and Aunts," Chloe pointed out.

Wyatt laughed. "Yeah right! My brother will never take orders from me, not unless he chooses to anyway. I've got to say though, that's something for which I am very grateful."

"You are?"

"Yes - I need people in my life who are not afraid to stand up to me. I'd hate it if my own family put me on a pedestal. I need them by my side, not walking behind me."

Chloe nodded. "I guess I can understand that."

Wyatt suddenly looked worried. "You're not intimidated by me, are you?" he asked, a concerned frown marring his impeccably handsome features.

Chloe smiled and tenderly touched the side of his face with her fingertips. "I suppose I should be, but I'm not, not really. Earlier, with those demons, you were… well, different…"

"I scared you," Wyatt stated before she could finish what she'd been going to say.

Chloe shook her head. "No, no, you didn't. The situation did a little, but that's only because I'm not used to all of this," she said, gesturing around at the objects in the attic.

Wyatt looked away, avoiding her eyes. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "About everything, about Emily - this is the reality of my life, but neither of you should have to be part of it."

"What if we choose to be part of it?"

Wyatt turned back to face her, his expression unreadable. "Why would you want to be?"

"To be with you."

"You could have anyone though, why not pick…"

"Someone safe? It doesn't really work like that, Wyatt. Besides, I feel safer with you than I have with some of my previous boyfriends. And it's not like I didn't know what I was getting into right from the beginning."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely."

Wyatt reached out and cupped the nape of her neck in the palm of his right hand, tracing his thumb along the length of her jawbone. "You're amazing, you know that?"

"Well of course," Chloe said coyly, batting her eyelids at him and making him chuckle.

She smiled. "That's better. No doubts allowed, okay?"

"Is that right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Who am I to argue then?"

With that, Wyatt pulled her towards him and kissed her full on the lips. Wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders, Chloe snuggled in closer, humming contentedly in the back of her throat as their embrace deepened. They continued to exchange kiss after kiss, their shared passion building, brick by brick, until they were both breathing heavily from the effort. Before things could go too far though, Wyatt reluctantly pulled away.

"I think we need to stop," he said, his voice husky as he twirled a strand of her silky hair around his finger and traced the bowed shape of her mouth with the pad of his thumb.

Chloe nodded, her colour high and her eyes passion-bright. "Yeah, I think we do," she concurred with an embarrassed giggle.

"WYATT – TIME TO GO! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!"

Chris's loud, echoing yell made them both jump, and Chloe quickly scrambled out of her boyfriend's lap, worried that they were about to be discovered in a rather compromising position. Wyatt grinned lazily at her, and then stood up and reached for his backpack.

"Relax," he said. "We weren't doing anything we aren't allowed to – we _are_ dating, remember?"

"I know," Chloe said, combing her fingers through her mussed hair and smoothing down her top and skirt. "But making out in your boyfriend's parent's house, on the day you first meet them, is not really the done thing, is it?"

Wyatt chuckled and held out his hand towards her. "Maybe not, but what they don't know won't hurt them."

Chloe slipped her fingers into his and they made their way downstairs. When they reached the ground floor, they found Chris in the hallway waiting for them. He was bouncing agitatedly on the balls of his feet, obviously anxious to get going. Bianca was standing to one side, watching him with a slight frown on her face and Chloe absently wondered what the problem was.

"Now you boys be careful," Piper said, stepping forward and embracing her sons in turn. "And call your Dad if you need us for anything."

"We'll be fine, Mom. Stop worrying," Wyatt calmly reassured her before he turned back to face his girlfriend.

Chloe felt a sudden stab of fear. "Hurry back, okay?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

Wyatt hugged her close and she clung to him tightly, breathing in his spicy masculine scent as she buried her face in the hollow of his throat. Wyatt eventually drew back, then bent and planted a firm kiss on her upturned lips, not caring that they were in full view of his entire family.

"I'll be back before you know it," he said as he released her. He then looked over at his brother. "Ready?"

Chris nodded and the two of them orbed out, leaving silence in their wake.

Chloe stared dumbly at the spot where the two brothers had just been standing, her stomach doing somersaults as she tried to process the confused mix of emotions flooding her overwrought mind. She was desperately worried about Emily and did not want to think about what she might be going through. But, at the same time, she hated the fact that Wyatt had to do something so dangerous to help her.

"They will be alright, won't they?" she asked nobody in particular.

It was Phoebe who stepped forward to comfort her. "Sure they will, honey," she said, slipping a reassuring arm around the scared young woman's waist. "And your cousin will be too. Our boys are the best."

Chloe raised her gaze to the older witch's surprisingly youthful face and got the distinct impression that she could see right into her very heart. It was then that she remembered that Phoebe was an empath and she blushed, knowing that, despite her worry, she was still glowing from the after-effects of Wyatt's all-consuming kisses. Phoebe smiled knowingly at her and she turned even redder, unable to contain her embarrassment. The other witch leaned in close and spoke quietly in her ear, so no one else could hear.

"Don't sweat it – I'm not oblivious to the fact that my nephews are normal, red-blooded males, you know. However, if you're planning on sticking around, then maybe you should take some empathy-blocking potion so your private life remains private."

"All right – that attic's not going to finish cleaning itself," Piper said, briskly clapping her hands. "If we all pitch in, we'll have it sorted in no time."

Chloe stared at the oldest Charmed One in amazement as she chivvied her husband, youngest sister and Bianca up the stairs.

"It's her way of coping," Phoebe explained quietly as the two of them followed at a slower pace. "She always gets with the maniacal cleaning when she's stressed about something. Wyatt and Chris may be all grown up now, but they're still her babies."

Chloe nodded in understanding. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of Wyatt's mother to be honest. The woman had been nothing but kind towards her, but she still got the sense that she was on probation until further notice. It made her feel slightly uncomfortable – Piper Halliwell was a formidable woman, and Wyatt always spoke of her with great affection. How was she going to compete? Did she need to compete?

"Easily and no," her companion said, spookily answering both of her unspoken questions.

Chloe flustered and Phoebe inclined her head in apology. "Sorry, couldn't help it," she said. "You have nothing to worry about though. Wyatt has enough room in his heart for both you _and_ his Mom. As for Piper, she just needs to satisfy herself that you're not going to mess him about."

"So how do I convince her?"

Phoebe smiled. "Carry on the way you are and you should have no trouble," she said. "My sister may seem scary, but she's a pussy-cat really. She wouldn't ever stand in the way of her boys' happiness, they mean too much to her."

When they reached the attic, Piper immediately assigned Chloe the chore of polishing the various wooden pieces of furniture that inhabited the cluttered space, which effectively ended her conversation with Phoebe. The young witch attacked the job with great gusto in an attempt to keep her mind off both Emily and Wyatt's current predicaments. It didn't work, but it did stop her from spiralling into blind panic about their possible fates, which was something at least. For now though, all she could do was wait and hope for their safe return.

**OOOOO**

Chris swore vehemently under his breath, as a particularly sharp thorn scrapped his skin, drawing blood.

"Tell me again why we didn't just orb straight there?" he asked Wyatt plaintively.

"Because we don't know if there's anything guarding the Tomb's entrance," his brother replied as he beat his way through the thick undergrowth ahead of him.

"How much longer?"

"I think it's just up ahead," Wyatt told him. "At the top of this hill."

"Mountain, you mean," Chris grumbled back.

"Do you want to rescue Emily or not?" Wyatt snapped irritably, the tension getting the better of him.

"Of course, I do."

"Then keep your voice down and quit your complaining!"

There was a pregnant pause before Chris replied. "Yes, Oh Blessed One."

The sarcastic comeback had the desired effect and Wyatt quickly got a hold of his temper again. "Sorry, I just…," he stopped. "What if I can't fight it?"

"You can, I know you can. There isn't an evil bone in your body, Wyatt."

"There was in the other timeline."

"Not until that Gideon guy repeatedly tried to kill you there wasn't," Chris retorted.

Wyatt was quiet as he contemplated that and they trudged on in silence, fighting their way through the undergrowth until they came upon a sudden clearing in the jungle-like terrain.

"Is that it?" Chris sounded distinctly unimpressed.

Wyatt looked at the craggy opening in the sheer face of rock directly opposite, and then across at his brother. "What were you expecting?"

"I don't know – some evil-looking statues maybe, some kind of epitaph carved into the rock, that sort of thing."

"You watch too much TV, little brother."

"Maybe – but you'd think it'd be more impressive though, wouldn't you? Considering what's in there."

"Well at least it's not guarded."

A low rumbling sound came from behind them and Chris glanced over his shoulder. "Err – think again."

Wyatt whipped round. Two black, dog-like creatures stood behind them, baring their fang-like teeth and growling threateningly. They were huge, their shoulders hunched and pronounced, and their muzzles dripping globules of slobber and what looked like fresh blood.

"Get out of the way," Wyatt ordered sharply and Chris obediently darted across the clearing to take cover behind a large, moss-covered rock.

One of the creatures immediately went for him, but was halted in his tracks when Wyatt let loose with his vanquishing power. With howls of pain, the two hounds exploded into nothingness, along with several trees on the edge of the clearing. The vanquishing energy-wave then rebounded off the remaining trees, reversed its trajectory and headed straight for its originator. Wyatt hastily erected his shield to protect himself and the two powers collided with a loud boom, immediately cancelling each other out.

The danger past, Chris emerged from behind the rock with a puzzled frown on his face. "Why did it vanquish those?" he asked, indicating the burning stumps of the trees that had been taken out by his brother's power.

"I don't know," Wyatt replied with a shrug. "Maybe they weren't ordinary trees."

Chris nodded. "Demonic trees – makes sense, I guess."

The two brothers turned back to face the cave. "You got the spell?" Wyatt asked.

Chris nodded and tugged off his backpack, then unzipped and took a piece of paper out of the front pocket. He passed it to his brother, who cast an appraising eye over it.

"Should do the trick," he commented, tongue-in-cheek.

Chris laughed. "Did you ever doubt it?"

Wyatt grinned back. "Well, you never know. They are getting older."

"If you value your life, I wouldn't ever say that in their presence," Chris advised.

"Oh don't worry, I'm not that stupid," Wyatt replied, and then returned his focus to the task at hand. "Come on, let's get this over with."

The two brothers recited the rhyme in unison and the moment the last syllable left their lips, a brilliant flash of light burst forth from the cave's entrance. The ground shook beneath them and they both stumbled and fell, each shielding their eyes with their hands to stop the light from blinding them. When the mini-earthquake finally subsided, they scrambled to their feet and moved to stand at the cave-mouth.

"Well, here goes nothing," Wyatt said, and stepped over the threshold. Nothing happened and he breathed a sigh of relief. "It's pretty dark in there," he noted, peering into the body of the cave.

"Well that's what we brought the supplies for, isn't it?" Chris reminded him.

The dark-haired witch-whitelighter bent and rummaged around in his backpack, producing two bottles of brightly coloured powder and a small wooden bowl. He emptied the contents of the bottles into the bowl, picked up a twig from the ground and stirred the two powders together. The mixture began to emit a phosphorescent green glow.

Wyatt, meanwhile, had delved into his own backpack and extracted several bottles of a one-size-fits-all vanquishing potion. It didn't always kill its targets, but it was very effective at permanently maiming most of them, so it was a useful concoction to have around. He passed a couple of the corked bottles of bluish-green liquid to his brother, then picked up the glowing bowl and led the way into the cave, holding the faint light source above his head to illuminate their path.

Within a few metres, the circular cavern narrowed into a long passageway, which dipped sharply downwards, descending away from them at a steep, forty-five degree angle. The two brothers cautiously followed this path down into the depths of the earth, both of them tense and wary of attack.

It soon became apparent that Leo had been correct about the Tomb of Horrors being over-rated however, because they remained unmolested the entire way down. After about ten minutes or so, they reached another cavern, similar to the first, and there, on a dais of smooth black marble, stood the Sword of Simzar.

Wyatt drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly before reluctantly approaching the raised platform. The sword was sealed in a rough-hewn block of dark granite. Its hilt was a burnished silver colour and huge, blood red rubies and black opals were inlaid into the shiny metal. It radiated dark power and Wyatt shivered as an icy chill ran down the length of his spine. Chris joined him on the dais and moved around to stand on the other side of the stone block, directly facing him.

"Maybe you should stay back," Wyatt suggested, but his brother shook his head.

"No – you need to see me so you remember who you are."

Wyatt nodded, quickly seeing the logic in that. He sucked in another calming breath, and then reluctantly grasped the hilt of the sword in his right hand. It felt like he had plunged his fist into a bucket of ice water and, as he slowly drew the weapon from its resting place, his mind filled with hundreds upon thousands of flickering thoughts and images. The power surged in his veins, he could smell the acrid odour of burning flesh, hear the screams of his chosen victims, taste their blood on his tongue…

"WYATT!"

His mind immediately reeled back from the horrible images and he dropped the sword with a clatter. Spinning round, he doubled over and retched, emptying the contents of his stomach onto the cave's sandy floor until there was nothing left to come up.

"Are you okay?" Chris asked quietly as he straightened up, pale and shaking.

He was holding out a bottle of water and Wyatt took it gratefully, swilled out his mouth, and then drank down several large mouthfuls of the cool, pure liquid, allowing it to soothe his parched throat.

"Thanks," he said, his voice hoarse. "What… what happened?"

"Your eyes went black and the expression on your face… I don't know - it was so cold and unforgiving," Chris shuddered. "Creepy."

Wyatt nodded and scrubbed his hands over his face. "I saw… things, bad things – really bad things."

"Well they made you throw up, so that's a good thing," Chris pointed out with a faint smile.

Wyatt looked over at the discarded sword, his expression troubled.

"You need to push those images away," Chris continued. "You do it with Excalibur, don't you?"

"Yes but it's not the same. It doesn't force its opinions on me like that; they're more in the way of what it thinks are helpful suggestions."

"You have to fight it. Just try and focus on something else, something good."

Steeling himself, Wyatt turned back towards the sword and bent to retrieve it from the cave floor. This time as the images flooded his brain, he managed to resist, at least for a little while. However, he couldn't hold them off for long and before he knew it, he was spiralling down into the abyss again.

"Wyatt, look at me!"

Wyatt struggled to focus on his brother's face. His features were blurred, but those piercing green eyes stood out like a lighthouse on a stormy night, a safe haven in the darkness. The Sword's hold on him slipped a little. Chris was still talking and Wyatt, fighting with all his might to stave off the evil trying to encroach upon his soul, concentrated hard on what he was saying.

"Think of Mom, Dad, everyone who loves you. Remember the other me, he died to save you from this. Think of Emily. And Chloe – think of what you'll be missing out on with her if you give in. I mean, you're never gonna get to see her naked…"

"Chris!"

The shock of it pulled him out of it more than anything. The Sword let out a scream of rage and tried to infiltrate his mind once more, but Wyatt shoved it aside, surprised by how simple it was. Apparently once you'd broken the deadlock, the sword's evil was easier to resist. He still felt strangely cold and a bit off-centre, but otherwise he was himself again.

Chris was laughing. "I should have known _that _would be the key."

Setting the sword to one side, Wyatt glared at his chortling brother in annoyance. "It's not funny."

Chris grinned unrepentantly before his expression sobered. "It was obvious really – that Chloe would be the one to give you the strength to resist, I mean. Isn't Dad always telling us that love is the most powerful force for good there is?"

"I don't…" Wyatt began, but broke off when Chris snorted derisively.

"Pull the other one, bro; it's got bells on it."

Wyatt shifted uncomfortably. He'd definitely fallen head over heels for Chloe. But did he actually love her? What's more, was he ready for what that meant? He wasn't sure. It made him vulnerable and he'd sworn that after Tara…

"She's not Tara, Wyatt," Chris said as if reading his thoughts.

Wyatt nodded. "I know."

And he did, Chloe had an honesty about her that Tara had never had. It wasn't fair to compare the two of them. He could trust her; he knew he could.

"Come on, let's get out of here," he said, picking up the sword again and forcibly closing his mind to its harmful effects. "We've left Emily at the Order's mercy long enough. I don't trust them to keep their word about not hurting her."

Chris nodded and followed his brother back up the steep passageway and out into the open air…

_**To be continued…**_

* * *

**Re: Rowenhood** – not sure what you mean, but no I haven't edited this story. It's exactly how it was when I first posted it. Re: futuristic cars and stuff – I suppose they might be, but this is only twenty or so years into the future and in my opinion, technology won't have changed that significantly. I could be wrong, of course! I guess we'll all have to wait and see. 

**Re:amythestpony (& everyone who wants rid of Bianca!) – **You mentioned in your reviews that I'd approached Bianca/Chris differently to other writers. I wanted to explore their relationship a bit more because I thought it would be an interesting thing to do. How would you react if you already knew some of what the future held for you? Would it change how you relate to the other people in your life? Would you pass up the opportunity of choosing a different future for yourself and never once question the inevitability of your already decided fate? I thought that would be an intriguing dilemma to write about, which is why I've kept Bianca around for so long.

**Re: Victorious Light –** You've also picked up on one of the underlying themes in this story (see the Chris/Bianca thing above). Two reviewers in one chapter – I guess I must be doing something right! How Wyatt handles his responsibilities and juggles that with his family and personal life is something else I thought would be good to explore. Glad you liked how I dealt with it.


	17. The Sacrifice

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Another update for you and an extra long author's notes as well.

As I've had the entire Sword of Simzar/Order of Kevlar plotline virtually written in my head for quite a while now, I've decided to get it all out on paper before I forget any of it! I will return to my other story once I've done that, but there will be another (possibly two) chapter(s) of this before then. This story is coming together quite quickly at the moment however, so you shouldn't have to wait too long for another update of False Memories.

As always, thanks for all the reviews. Replies to individual comments below:

**Re: SnowyOwl-17 **The Wyatt/Chloe relationship has played a bigger part in this story than I was originally intending, but in answer to your question - yes, it will be becoming more Chris-centric in upcoming chapters, starting with the end of this one actually!

**Re: amythestpony **I don't want to give away the plot so I can't answer your question re: Bianca/Chris/Emily at the moment. Although, I suppose it is starting to become fairly obvious now ;-)

**Re: Drama Angel - **I hear what you're saying, but the sword plotline was mainly meant to be a vehicle for driving Wyatt and Chloe's relationship forward. Having said that though, there are definitely some consequences for Chris/Bianca/Emily too - I haven't forgotten about them, I promise. Their part in this particular plotline kicks in at the end of this chapter.

**Re: CharmedClover **re: missing Chris/Emily. As you have probably guessed from the answers above – you'll be getting more Chris/Emily interaction very soon.

**Re: Victorious Light **re: what Chris said about Chloe bringing Wyatt out of the sword's hold. I have to confess that was a last minute addition! I initially planned that it would be the other Chris dying to stop him from turning evil, which did the trick. But, once I'd written it, it just didn't come across how I wanted it to.

Then – luckily - I had a flash of inspiration with the 'not ever seeing Chloe naked' thing. That seemed such a Chris thing to say, and well, Wyatt's a twenty-something male in a new relationship that's just beginning to hot up, so you do the math! ;-) In the end, I was glad my original idea didn't pan out because I think the reworked version turned out much better.

Anyway, enough of my rambling, on with the show...

**_

* * *

Previously… _**

"Come on, let's get out of here," Wyatt said, picking up the sword again and forcibly closing his mind to its harmful effects. "We've left Emily at the Order's mercy long enough. I don't trust them to keep their word about not hurting her."

Chris nodded and followed his brother back up the steep passageway and out into the open air…

**

* * *

Chapter 17 **

_**Back at the Manor…**_

Chloe looked up sharply as the black-robed demon shimmered into the attic.

"The Twice-Blessed Child has completed his task," he announced in self-important tones. "He will come alone to the holy antechamber on the stroke of midnight, where he will be escorted to the appointed place."

He held out a piece of folded parchment and Paige, stony-faced, stepped forward and took it from him. His task completed, the demon shimmered out again.

Chloe tried to push aside the sick feeling of dread. "If the task is complete - why aren't they back?" she asked fearfully.

Before anyone could answer her question, twinkling blue lights began to materialise in the centre of the attic. Chloe barely had time to recognise Chris and Wyatt's familiar forms however, before her mind reeled and her world tipped violently on its axis. Her stomach lurched horribly as she was sucked down into a spinning vortex of never-ending darkness. Pure evil – stronger than she'd ever felt before in her life. She staggered under the oppressive weight of it.

"Chloe!"

Someone – she wasn't quite sure who - grasped her arm in a strong grip. Her skin burned. She screamed out loud in pain. A second pair of hands caught her flailing body and roughly pushed the scorching hand aside. The burning agony thankfully subsided, but the powerful sense of evil did not.

"It's the sword. They're both empathic, they can feel it." She vaguely heard Leo say through the whirling mist fogging her brain. "Orb it down to your bedroom now! It'll be safe there; no one in their right mind would try to steal it."

As quickly as it had overtaken her, the dreadful, dizzying sensation was gone and Chloe opened her eyes, still slightly disorientated by the experience. Wyatt stood in front of her, his expression stricken, and, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Phoebe sitting on the sofa, her head in her hands and her sisters hovering anxiously either side of her. Chloe's left forearm was throbbing painfully, and she looked down to see the normally smooth, unblemished skin, red raw and blistered.

"I'm sorry," Wyatt stuttered, his blue eyes wide with shock and remorse. "I didn't mean to." He took an unconscious step away from her and deliberately thrust his hands behind his back.

"It's alright," Leo said soothingly from where he stood behind Chloe, his hand still lightly gripping her elbow to keep her steady. "It wasn't you – it was the sword's evil. You were holding it in your hand when you caught her."

Wyatt let his hands drop back down to his sides at his father's words of comfort, but he still seemed reluctant to touch her. Seeking to reassure him, Chloe reached out with her uninjured arm and took his hand in hers.

"It's okay," she said softly. "It wasn't your fault."

Her warm fingers closed around his without incident and Wyatt visibly relaxed, quickly regaining his composure. "Right," he said, his voice stronger and surer now. "We've got the sword - I guess we just wait for word from the Order."

"No need," Paige told her nephew as Leo began to heal Chloe's burnt arm. "We've already had a visitation. You're supposed to present yourself at, quote: 'the holy antechamber on the stroke of midnight, where you will be escorted to the appointed place.'"

"Antechamber?" Wyatt queried, confused by the terminology.

"I'm guessing that's what this is for," Paige replied, turning over the piece of yellowing parchment in her hands.

On it was a crudely drawn map with a large red 'X' situated somewhere near the middle. "I think you could have done with a map of the entire Underworld though, rather than just a small part of it. I don't know how you're supposed to work out where to go from this."

"Let me have a look," Leo said, taking the map from her. He studied it for a while, turning it this way and that, and then nodded his head.

"Remember that nest of Bat demons you hunted down last year?" he said to his son.

"Yeah."

"Well, that's where they lived," he said, indicating somewhere near the bottom right hand corner of the hand-drawn chart.

Wyatt nodded. "Okay, I think I can find my way from there."

Chris peered over his brother's shoulder to look at the map. "How come you know so much about the Underworld?" he asked his father curiously.

The Elder looked uncomfortable at the innocent question and dropped his gaze to the wooden floorboards, refusing to meet his son's enquiring eyes.

"Dad?"

Leo sighed and finally lifted his eyes to meet his youngest child's gaze. "When your other self first came back – before we knew who he was – I followed him. I didn't trust him, you see. He said he came to protect Wyatt but…"

"You didn't believe him?"

"Not in the beginning, no," Leo admitted, looking shamefaced. "He spent a lot of time in the Underworld – seemed to know his way around pretty well. I suppose that was understandable, given what he was trying to prevent, but it hardly inspired my confidence in him."

Chris nodded but kept silent, deciding it was best not to pursue the issue any further. Instead, he looked over at his brother in a pointed attempt to change the subject.

Wyatt quickly took the hint. "All right," he announced in a commanding tone. "We need a battle plan, so let's get to work."

_**Several hours later…**_

"So we're all agreed then," Wyatt said, glancing around at his gathered family, who were seated around the kitchen table like a military command. "I'll go alone to this 'appointed place' of theirs, and then when I've exchanged the sword for Emily, I'll call for you. You'll all orb in and..."

"We'll vanquish every last one of their sorry asses," Chris finished for his brother.

"Sounds like the perfect plan to me," Paige said with a broad smile, leaning back in her chair.

Phoebe, however, was frowning. "We don't know where this 'appointed place' is though," she said. "Will you be able to sense Wyatt okay? I know Leo has trouble sensing us down in the Underworld sometimes."

"She has a point," Chris said to his father, his forehead creasing in consternation. "They could have the place magically protected from that kind of thing as well, couldn't they?"

Leo smiled. "Even if they have, I don't think it will be a problem," he said confidently. He looked over at Wyatt. "Put up your shield and close it off from us," he instructed.

Wyatt pushed his chair away from the kitchen table and did just that, surrounding himself with his shimmering blue force field. Leo looked at his other son. "Can you sense him?"

Chris closed his eyes and concentrated, then nodded in the affirmative. "Yeah – it's really faint though."

"Most whitelighters wouldn't be able to," Leo explained. "The blood bond makes the connection stronger. If you can sense Wyatt through his own shield, you can sense him through anything."

Chris's eyes widened at that, "Can you sense him?" he asked.

His father nodded. "Yes, but only just."

"Aunt Paige?"

"Err – kind of – it keeps fading in and out. I supposed that's because Wyatt and I share the least amount of blood?"

Leo nodded. "And Chris and he share the most, which is why their link is the strongest."

"Cool!" Chris declared.

Wyatt dropped his shield and rejoined them at the table, his expression troubled. He had the nagging sense that he'd forgotten something, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. When his Mom insisted that they go through their battle strategy one more time however, it finally came to him.

"Wait," he said. "Someone has to stay here with Chloe."

"What?" his girlfriend demanded, staring at him incredulously. "No – forget that - I'm going with you."

"You can't," Wyatt replied. "Look how being near the sword affected you earlier."

"Paige cast an empathy-blocking enchantment on it. I'll be fine."

Unaware of her actions until that moment, Wyatt looked enquiringly at his youngest Aunt, who shrugged.

"It seemed like a good idea," she explained. "We might need the Power of Three tonight, we can't afford to have Phoebe incapacitated."

"So there's no problem," Chloe cut in.

"You're still not going," Wyatt told her flatly.

"Bianca is."

"That's different," Wyatt replied, and instantly regretted it. Chloe glowered angrily at him, her violet-blue eyes turning flinty.

"Look – I don't know what you think this is," she said hotly, gesturing wildly between the two of them. "But I'm not playing the damsel in distress just so you can act the big macho man."

"That's not what this is about, Chloe."

"I don't care what it's about – I'm going."

Wyatt's temper flared. "No you're not. You're staying here," he shot back childishly.

"Like hell I am – Emily's my cousin."

"And you want her back home safely, don't you?"

"Of course I do."

"Then you're staying here," Wyatt told her again, this time with a compelling note of finality in his voice.

"You can't make me."

"No? Just watch me! This is not open to negotiation, okay? I can't have you there and that's all there is to it. We can argue about it all you want later, but right now, you are going to do as I ask. It can be with your consent or without it - it's your choice."

"Fine, I'll stay," Chloe snapped. "But don't think for one second that this is over."

With that heated vow, she pushed past him and stalked out the kitchen in high dudgeon.

"Ouch!" Chris said, cringing in jest. Bianca laughed.

Wyatt glared at the two of them. "Someone needs to stay with her," he said, wearily pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

"I'll do it," Leo offered, placing a placating hand on his son's arm. "You go and get ready – you have to leave in ten minutes. They'll be consequences if you're late."

Wyatt nodded and left the kitchen, retreating upstairs to collect the sword and mentally prepare himself for what was to come. Once he'd gone, Piper got determinedly to her feet, but her husband quickly put out his hand to stop her.

"I'll talk to her," he said, guessing her intention.

"She has a point," Piper told him seriously, reluctant to criticise her son but finding it impossible to agree with his standpoint.

Her husband nodded. "Yes I know, but there are other considerations as well."

Piper looked questionably at him. "Like what?"

"I'll tell you later," he said, "But I think, right now, we should try to resolve this situation before it gets out of hand, don't you?"

With that, he went in search of his eldest son's fuming girlfriend, finding her curled up in one of the white wicker chairs in the conservatory. He calmly took the seat across from her.

"Come to baby-sit me, have you?" she said bitterly. "Lucky you."

"I volunteered," Leo said mildly, ignoring her sarcasm. There was a tense pause before he spoke again in a quiet, measured tone. "It's not that he doesn't respect you, you know."

"Well excuse me if I'm not entirely convinced of that," Chloe retorted hotly, turning her face away and staring blankly at the opposite wall, her eyes glittering with a combination of anger and hurt.

Undeterred, Leo pressed on. "Wyatt's grown up surrounded by three strong, independent women – he's the last person to underestimate what a member of the fairer sex is capable of, I assure you. You've got it completely wrong – this is about him and his weaknesses, not you and yours."

Leo paused for a moment. Chloe was still avoiding his gaze, but he could tell that he had gotten her attention, so he continued on.

"My son may be the most powerful witch that ever lived, but he's not infallible. He's allowed himself to get close to you and, in doing so, has effectively turned you into his Achilles Heel. He can really do without the pressure of worrying about your safety tonight, you know. He has enough to deal with already."

"I don't need protecting," Chloe said sullenly.

"Don't you?" Leo asked bluntly. "You don't have an active power, Chloe. You can't defend yourself in the same way that the rest of us can. Like it or not, in a situation like this, you're vulnerable, and Wyatt's the one who's ultimately responsible for keeping you safe. He's the one who has to live with the consequences if anything happens to you."

"Or Emily for that matter," he added.

Chloe turned to look at him then and he regarded her gravely. "Look, I'm not saying you have to give up your independence, or that you shouldn't expect to be treated as an equal. But, you need to understand that Wyatt carries a great deal of responsibility on his shoulders and it can be a heavy load to bear."

"This isn't a straightforward situation, the Order is a formidable enemy and he has to keep his wits about him if he's going to defeat them. Just because he's not prepared to risk anything going wrong, doesn't mean he doesn't respect or value you as a person."

"Why didn't he just say that then?" Chloe demanded, "Instead of acting all high and mighty about it."

"Probably because he's a man," Leo said drolly, sounding uncannily like his youngest son for a fleeting instant. "We're not particularly good at expressing ourselves, you know, especially not in public."

Despite herself, Chloe laughed and Leo smiled at her, his blue-green eyes sparkling with merriment. "I agree he handled it badly and, for that, he needs to apologise. But, I know my son, he wasn't trying to control you, it's not his style. He's been brought up better than that."

Chloe nodded, knowing in her heart of hearts that that was true. His earlier behaviour notwithstanding, Wyatt had never treated her with anything other than complete respect.

"All right," Leo said in a lighter tone. "Now that we've got that straight, how about we go and steal some of the chocolate cake that my wife baked earlier? If we have to miss out on all the fun, we deserve some compensation, don't you think?"

Feeling much better about things, Chloe got to her feet and followed Leo through into the other room. The kitchen was now devoid of inhabitants and she assumed that everyone must have gone upstairs to the attic. Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was five minutes to midnight. Her heart sank – was it too late to say a proper goodbye to Wyatt before he left?

"He's already gone," Leo informed her, sensing the direction of her thoughts, "Orbed out a couple of minutes ago."

"Don't worry," he added when her face fell. "He'll be fine."

Chloe sighed. She hoped so, she really did. If Wyatt lost his focus because of their stupid argument, she'd never forgive herself.

**OOOOOO**

Knowing it was useless, Emily tugged on the clinking chain shackling her to her prison. Rather than all four limbs, just her left arm tethered her to the cage now.

An hour or so ago, she'd been unchained and forced to change into a snowy-white Greek-style gown. The flimsy dress was mid-thigh in length and belted around the waist with a wide band of silver material. It also revealed far too much naked flesh for her liking. Her legs and feet were bare and unadorned, and she'd been instructed to untie her hair from its ponytail and let it fall loose around her shoulders.

It was the colour of the garment that bothered her most however. The predominant shade here was black; the fact that her demonic captors had dressed her in white seemed, to Emily, to be an ominous omen. She had awful visions of becoming some sort of sacrifice in one of their depraved rituals.

Ignoring the overt leers from the constant procession of ceremonially-robed demons, she looked absently about the cave until her wandering eyes fell on the demon, who had received permission to hunt down Chris as revenge for his cousin's death. In the intervening hours, she had somehow become the focus of his murderous intent. He barely took his eyes off her, and she shuddered at the openly lustful expression in his dark eyes as he, slowly and deliberately, looked her up and down.

A triumphant smile crossed his face at her reaction and her anger flared – he was enjoying this. He knew that she knew he intended to kill – and probably torture - Chris. Moreover, he knew that, right now, she was helpless to do anything about it. She looked away, determined not to give him the satisfaction of getting to her.

Just then, an excited buzz filled the air and, with a flurry of activity, the myriad of black-robed demons congregating in the vast underground cavern took their places. They lined up in neat rows in front of the three jewelled thrones, leaving a wide aisle down the centre to allow access to the dais. Standing on her tiptoes, Emily craned her neck to see what was going on.

First, the two Head Priests walked, slowly and sedately, down the aisle to take their places on their thrones. Then, two lower rank priests followed in their wake, carrying smoking bowls that filled the air with the heavy scent of incense. With great ceremony, they placed the steaming basins on the huge, central throne before moving to stand either side of Emily's cage like sentries.

An expectant hush fell over the crowd before a fanfare of trumpets announced the arrival of whatever - or whomever – they were waiting for. Emily sagged in relief as Wyatt emerged out of the darkness and strode confidently down the aisle, holding a jewelled sword in his right hand.

In sharp contrast to everyone else in the room, he was dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt and his two escorts scurried along behind him, clearly upset by his adamant refusal to observe the niceties of the elaborate ceremony. The blond witch-whitelighter came to an abrupt halt before the dais, then, setting the tip of the sword against the sandy floor, he leaned nonchalantly against the hilt.

"Okay, let's get this over with."

Both of the High Priests' faces instantly hardened at his deliberate insolence. "This is a sacred religious ceremony," the one on the right said stiffly, "Not a bartered exchange at a flea market."

"Do I look like I care?"

The High Priests gaped at him, and Emily stifled a laugh at their incredulous expressions. They quickly recovered themselves however. "Place the sword in its rightful resting place," the one on the left instructed, inclining his head towards the empty middle throne.

Emily hadn't noticed it before, but the back of the huge chair was indented with the shape of a sword. Ignoring the peremptory request, Wyatt stood his ground and shook his head.

"Release her first," he said, his gaze flickering towards Emily for a brief instant.

"She will play her part in due course," the second of the High Priests arrogantly informed him.

"If you want the sword, then you'll release her now," Wyatt returned just as stubbornly.

There was a tense pause, and then one of the High Priests gestured curtly at Emily's two guards. The cage was opened and her handcuff quickly unlocked. Emily stepped warily out of her prison, conscious that all eyes – except Wyatt's - were upon her.

"Emily, come and stand by me," Wyatt instructed quietly, still refusing to look at her.

Observing him more closely, she instinctively knew that his apparent indifference wasn't personal. His body language indicated that he was poised to strike should the occasion demand it. He needed to focus on what he was here to do – he couldn't let her presence distract him from his goal. Emily hurried down the steps to stand beside him, anxious to get as far away from her captors as possible.

"The Sword," both High Priests prompted in unison as soon as she reached his side.

At first, Wyatt looked like he was going to comply, but then his voice cracked like a whip, startling Emily out of her skin and making her gasp in surprise.

"CHRIS NOW!"

There was a whirl of blue orbs and the cavern erupted into absolute chaos. With shouts of horror, the crowd of black-robed demons scrambled to get out the way as they were bombarded with a plethora of lethal glass bottles. The underground cavern quickly filled with smoke from the vast numbers of vanquishes, and Emily got lost in the confusion. She could hear someone shouting her name but couldn't see where - or who - they were.

After their initial shock rescinded, the Order of Kevlar rallied and began to fight back, and Emily suddenly found herself a target. Dodging this way and that, she managed to avoid most of her attackers until she tripped and fell flat on her face. With a howl of triumph, one of the black-robed demons swooped, hauling her back to her feet and swinging her round to face him, an athame at the ready. Just as Emily thought she was done for, her attacker suddenly stiffened, his eyes growing wide with shock and pain.

"Over there," Bianca yelled, pointing to a secluded spot behind the trio of thrones.

She had her hand buried deep in the demon's back and seemed to be draining the power from him as he convulsed violently on the end of her arm. Emily had never seen the other girl use her power before and she stared in shock, unable to move. Bianca yanked her hand free and expertly kicked the twitching demon aside. Then, grasping Emily firmly by the arm, she dragged her out of the melee and around the side of the dais to a place of relative safety.

"Get down," she ordered, roughly pushing Emily to the floor before turning on her heel and plunging back into the fray.

Her heart thundering inside of her chest, Emily closed her eyes and sucked in a series of deep, calming breaths, trying to get her scattered wits back in order. As the panic subsided, a sudden realisation hit her like a freight train. Her eyes snapped open in horror. Chris! She had to warn him!

Scrambling back to her feet, she scanned the cavern, desperately trying to locate the dark-haired witch-whitelighter amidst the raging battle. She finally spotted him about fifty metres away, grappling with a demon who had jumped him, moments before. As she watched, Chris elbowed his attacker in the stomach and wrenched himself free. The demon staggered back and instantly exploded.

Confused by the unexpected vanquish, Chris twisted around and then smiled broadly at his Mom, who had blown up the demon the moment her son had liberated himself from its stranglehold. Piper nodded once at him, and then resumed her systematic destruction of their enemies, her hands opening and closing in a rapid blur.

Curling his fingers in a come-hither gesture, Chris TK'd several more bottles of vanquishing potion towards him, from the huge basketful that they'd brought with them. Momentarily distracted, he unfortunately failed to notice the vengeful demon approaching him from behind, a wicked-looking athame held aloft in his hand.

Emily didn't however, and she hurtled out her hiding place, a sharp cry of warning erupting from her lips. Chris turned at her shout, but all he saw was a blur of red and white as she barrelled into him. There was a roar of rage, a sickening thud, and Emily collapsed against him, a sudden dead weight in his arms.

Incensed, his would-be assassin charged, his dark eyes burning madly with stone-cold hatred. Struggling to hold Emily upright with one arm, Chris gestured at him with his free hand, repelling the ferocious attack with all his might. Catapulted backwards like a ball out of a cannon, the demon collided with the cavern wall, impaling himself on a metal spike that protruded from the rock. His eyes opened wide and a gush of blood erupted from his mouth, spattering his clothing with scarlet droplets. Letting out one final rattling breath, he slumped to one side, his body going limp.

Stunned into mute inaction, Chris sank to the ground, a still and lifeless Emily cradled in his shaking arms…

_**To be continued…**_

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_Yeah, I know that was an evil cliffhanger, but the majority of the following chapter is already written, so it shouldn't be too long before I post the next update._


	18. End Game

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Sorry to have kept you all in suspense - it took me a lot longer to smooth over the rough edges in this chapter than I thought it would. I think there might be the odd sharp corner still remaining, but here is the next part. Enjoy, but please heed the warning below:

_If you remember, I said in the author notes of Chapter 3 that this story would be more adult in tone than False Memories. You need to bear that in mind when you read this, because one of the scenes in this chapter some might class as M (16+). Anyway, you've been warned, so on with the show…_

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**Chapter 18 **

It was warm and sticky. It dripped from the ends of his fingers, staining the sandy floor black as it gathered in an ever-expanding pool beneath them. The shouts of the surrounding battle faded into the distance until all he could hear was the rapid beat of his heart, thundering loudly in his ears…

With a violent wrench, Chris broke out of his shocked stupor and forced himself into action. Experience told him that it was best to remove an athame from a victim's body straight away, despite the risk of further blood loss, because more often than not they were poisoned or – even worse – cursed. With this in mind, he gingerly tipped Emily's limp form towards him and grasped hold of the dagger lodged to the hilt in her side.

A gush of fresh blood immediately erupted from the wound as he carefully tugged the athame free, and Emily arched in spasm before slumping back against him, going suddenly and terrifyingly still. His heart pounding a staccato drumbeat inside his chest, Chris frantically brushed away the silky curtain of her hair and desperately searched for a pulse point, smearing the creamy-white skin of her neck with a trail of blood in his haste.

Much to his relief, he quickly managed to locate the faint throb of her heartbeat, however its rhythm was erratic and faltering under his fingertips and his stomach immediately coiled in anxiety again. He looked around wildly for Wyatt, but his brother was caught up in a ferocious sword battle with one of the High Priests - there was no way he was going to be able to help. That meant there was only one thing for it. Rising unsteadily to his feet, Chris heaved Emily up in his crooked arms and orbed her back to the Manor.

"Dad!" he yelled as soon as his body solidified in the downstairs lounge. "Dad! I need your help!"

Carefully depositing his precious cargo on the couch, he straightened up and stepped back, just as Leo and Chloe came running in from the kitchen, summoned by his panicked call.

"Oh my God, Emily!" Chloe cried out in horror, rushing to her cousin's side.

"What happened?" Leo asked his son, as he held his hands out over the stricken girl, a golden glow emanating from his palms.

"I don't… it was this demon… I didn't know he was behind me… and she… god, she deliberately got in the way…"

Wringing his hands in agitation, Chris broke off his rambling explanation, unable to tear his eyes off Emily's ashen face and resolutely closed eyes.

"What's taking so long?" he demanded.

"She was mortally wounded, Chris," Leo told him in a calm, matter-of-fact tone. "You know that kind of injury takes longer to heal. What about everyone else? Are they alright?"

"Yeah, I think so," Chris replied, his father's unruffled demeanour helping him regain some composure. "We're running out of vanquishing potion though – there's so many of them."

Unable to concentrate on anything else however, he sank to his knees beside the sofa and gazed intently at Emily's unmoving form. "Come on, come on," he whispered under his breath, desperately willing the gaping hole in her side to heal.

After what seemed like forever, the bleeding wound finally started to close up, and they all heaved a collective sigh of relief as Emily drew in a sharp breath and opened her eyes.

"Oh thank god," Chloe said, leaning forward and pulling her cousin into a tight hug.

Still not properly cognisant of her surroundings, Emily struggled against the embrace, trying to sit up. "Chris… the demon…," she mumbled incoherently. "I have to…"

Her eyes fell on the object of her concern, kneeling on the floor beside her, and she broke off, sagging back against the sofa cushions in relief. "You're okay," she breathed.

"I'm fine, but you nearly weren't," Chris told her. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"He was going to kill you," she said by way of explanation. "He was determined to take his revenge. I had to stop him."

"Revenge?" Leo asked, puzzled.

"For his cousin's death."

"The demon you killed earlier today," Leo surmised, glancing briefly at his son.

"You can't go back there," Emily implored, impulsively grasping Chris's hand in hers. "He won't give up until he gets what he wants. I know he won't. You can't risk it."

"He's dead," Chris told her bluntly. "I killed him."

"Oh."

Emily flushed and snatched her hand back, suddenly realising what she might be revealing in her concern over his welfare. Intensely embarrassed, she bowed her head and anxiously twisted her fingers together in her lap. Unfortunately Chris - who either chose to ignore, or didn't even notice her discomfiture - immediately reached out and slipped his fingers under her chin, lifting her face so that he could look her in the eye.

"You shouldn't have done it," he told her, his gaze uncomfortably intent.

"I… I couldn't not," Emily whispered softly, her blue eyes a telltale mirror of her emotions.

Maybe it was her imagination, but she thought she saw something flare in Chris's eyes at her quiet confession. Before she knew it though, it was gone, and he was getting to his feet and moving away from her as if nothing untoward had happened.

"I should be getting back," he said resolutely.

Leo nodded. "We'll make some more vanquishing potion," he said. "I'll orb it down to you."

Chris briefly clasped his father's shoulder in thanks and then vanished in a whirl of blue lights.

After he'd gone, Emily turned and stared mutely at her cousin, mortified by what she'd let slip in the heat of the moment. Chloe leaned forward and squeezed her hand in silent sympathy, her gaze full of quiet compassion. Then, in a deliberate attempt to distract her cousin from her woes, she pointedly adjusted the shoulder strap of Emily's lily-white dress, her violet-blue eyes twinkling with wry amusement.

"Nice outfit, cus," she remarked slyly, tongue firmly in cheek.

The lingering tension in the room broke at Chloe's playful jest and Emily hurriedly tried to cover herself up, her cheeks staining a rosy pink colour as her cousin dissolved into a fit of giggles.

**OOOOOO**

Back in the Underworld, Chris orbed in alongside Bianca, who was crouched down behind the dais, taking a well-earned breather from the exertions of the fight. Using her powers for prolonged periods took a lot out of her physically, especially as she rarely used her magic during her everyday life anymore.

A few months after she'd started dating Chris, she'd decided that she'd much rather follow the Halliwell's philosophy of waiting until trouble landed on their doorstep, as opposed to her family's policy of deliberately going out looking for it. Somewhat predictably, her father had been less than pleased by her decision. According to him, she was letting the side down, betraying her kin and everything that they stood for. The only trouble was Bianca wasn't sure what they did stand for anymore.

Ever since the family had turned away from the dark side, several generations back, they'd lacked any kind of real direction. Not that that was a bad thing, it was just that she couldn't see the point of it all. Nobody ever hired an assassin to hunt down demons and warlocks, so why were they bothering to go out and seek unpaid target practise? At the end of the day, it was just to satisfy their intrinsic need to track and pursue and Bianca had eventually gotten tired of it.

She wanted more from her life, and her relationship with Chris had finally given her the strength to break free from her family's often stifling influence. For the last eighteen months, she'd been pursuing her long-held ambition of becoming a fashion designer and she could honestly say she'd never been happier - at least as far as her career path was concerned anyway.

Her personal life wasn't in such good shape however. She couldn't shake the feeling that Chris was pulling away from her. Things had been less fraught between them since their talk, but the distance was still there and his reaction to Emily's kidnapping had set alarm bells ringing inside her. He was taking the whole thing far too personally for her liking. He'd recklessly killed that demon because he hadn't been able to control his anger over what had happened. It wasn't like Chris to be so impulsive and foolhardy, and his uncharacteristic behaviour sparked all of her nagging little insecurities about their relationship.

"Where have you been?" she demanded of him now.

"I had to get Emily out," Chris said vaguely, his attention focused on the progress of the battle rather than their conversation.

"So you abandoned us just to take her back to the Manor?"

Chris turned to look at her and she cringed back from his wintry gaze. "No," he said, his tone hard. "She was dying – Wyatt was in no position to help her. What did you expect me to do? Let her bleed to death?"

Bianca immediately backed off – she hadn't realised Emily had gotten hurt. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"Obviously," her boyfriend replied icily. A beat and then, "You should be grateful, she saved my life."

"How do you mean?"

Chris shook his head. "It doesn't matter," he said, changing the subject. "I need to know what's been happening since I left."

Bianca's eyes narrowed at his dismissive attitude, but she wisely kept her mouth shut. This wasn't the time for a lover's tiff, there was too much at stake.

"We're almost out of vanquishing potion," she told him. "Unfortunately, the demons keep on coming. A general distress call must have gone out because there seems to be a never-ending supply of them. Your Mom and Aunts vanquished one of the High Priests with a Power of Three spell, and I think if Wyatt manages to kill the other one, resistance will crumble. Only trouble is, your brother seems to have had a major skill bypass. I don't get what's wrong with him; anybody would think he'd never handled a sword before."

Chris's eyes quickly sort out Wyatt and it only took him a minute to understand what his girlfriend meant. His brother was fencing with the remaining High Priest, and while he was holding his own, he wasn't even close to gaining the upper hand. He was wielding the Sword of Simzar as if it was a lead weight, obviously struggling to stay in the game. It didn't make any sense - when it came to a sword fight, his brother was the best there was. With Excalibur in his hand, Wyatt was virtually unstoppable. Chris's eyes widened as that thought struck him, and suddenly he knew what he had to do.

"I'll be back in a minute," he said to Bianca.

Before she could ask him where he was going, he orbed away, reappearing at the Halliwell Manor moments later. Leo looked up sharply from the bubbling pot of vanquishing potion that he'd been stirring, startled by his son's unexpected return.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

Chris didn't answer him. Instead, he rushed over to the basement door, opened it and disappeared down the steps, taking them two at a time. Abandoning their potion making, Leo, Emily and Chloe quickly followed on his heels, reaching the bottom of the stairs just as he pulled a dustsheet off a bulky object stashed in a dark corner of the cellar.

Both girls immediately gasped. "Whoa! Is that what I think it is?" Chloe exclaimed, her skin tingling from the enormous power emanating from the thing.

"Excalibur? Yes," Leo replied, watching as his son grasped the hilt of the sword and effortlessly removed the weapon from the stone.

"Wait! I thought only Wyatt could…," Emily broke off, stunned at what she was seeing.

Chris smiled tightly at her incredulity. If it hadn't been for his innate curiosity, that's what everyone would have believed. He'd been nine years old at the time and had – after much pestering - been allowed to sit in on one of Wyatt's training sessions. The legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, coupled with the thrill of the swordplay, had fired his already active imagination into overdrive.

Later that night, he'd been unable to get the image of Excalibur out of his head and couldn't resist sneaking downstairs in his pyjamas to look upon it once more. To this day, he didn't know what made him do it. Envy maybe? As a young child, he'd always thought that Wyatt had a much more exciting life than him. His older brother was the Twice-Blessed Child, the Guardian of Excalibur. But what was he? Just ordinary Chris Halliwell, that's what, there was nothing special about him at all.

Whatever it was, something had driven him to try to draw the sword and, to his amazement, it had slid out of the stone as easily as a knife through butter. Unfortunately, unlike Wyatt, he hadn't been able to control Excalibur's immense power. If Leo hadn't orbed in from a late night council meeting at the very moment that his youngest child had pulled the sword from the stone, anything could have happened….

**…**

"_Put that back this instant!"_

_Shocked by his father's sharp tone, Chris hurriedly returned the sword to its rightful resting place, somehow finding the strength to break free of Excalibur's hold over him. Without a word, Leo strode over, scooped his bewildered son up in his strong arms and carried him back upstairs to bed. _

_Chris was confused by his father's silence. Was he in trouble or not? And why had he been able to draw Excalibur anyway? Everyone said only Wyatt could. Had they lied to him? Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he gazed up at Leo with wide, enquiring eyes and asked the fateful question._

"_Why could I do that, Daddy?"_

"_Because you and Wyatt share the same blood." _

"_Cool! Does that mean that I…?"_

"_No," his father cut in firmly. "No, it doesn't. I don't want you touching Excalibur again, you hear me?"_

"_But why?"_

_Leo sighed and sat down on the edge of the mattress. "How did you feel when you were holding it?" he asked._

_Chris's green eyes immediately clouded over as he remembered the helpless feeling of not being in control of his own actions._

"_Exactly," Leo said in response to his young son's unspoken reply. _

"_Does Wyatt feel like that?"_

"_Yes, but the difference is he knows how to control it."_

"_Because Excalibur is his."_

"_Because Excalibur is his," his father confirmed._

_Apparently, that was a good enough explanation for a nine year old because Chris nodded his head in understanding. "Okay Daddy – I promise I won't touch it again."_

"_Good. Glad to hear it. Now go to sleep."_

**…**

Back in the present, Chris looked down at the sword in his hand. He'd broken his promise. As an adult, he had touched Excalibur again - more than once - but only when it had been strictly necessary. Without his childish naivety, he was able to repel the weapon's corrupting influence for a short while. The danger was negligible provided he didn't keep hold of it for too long.

That night, fourteen years ago, had been a turning point for him however. Holding the legendary sword in his hand had given him a unique insight into Wyatt's world and, from that day on, he had never once begrudged him his exalted position. Any residual sibling rivalry had evaporated into the ether as he vowed to help his brother in any way he could, sealing their already close friendship for life.

Right now however, he cast a guilty look at Leo, suddenly remembering that neither he nor Wyatt had told their father that he'd handled the sword again. "Wyatt needs it," he said defensively.

Leo nodded, a hint of a smile on his face. "Did you honestly think that I didn't know?" he asked with wry amusement.

Chris's lips twisted into an ironic smile. He should have guessed – his Dad rarely missed anything where his sons were concerned.

"You're responsible enough now to know how much you can handle," Leo told him. "At nine, you weren't. Now go."

Chris nodded and, for the third time that night, orbed down to the Underworld. "Wyatt!" he called out, brandishing the sword so his brother could see it.

His blue eyes reflecting his relief, Wyatt lifted his free hand and called out for his sword, gratefully casting the unwieldy Sword of Simzar aside, the moment Excalibur materialised in his grip. The evil weapon had been like a millstone around his neck, protesting against his use of it, but when Excalibur appeared in Wyatt's outstretched hand, there was an instant connection between them. Sword and owner became one, the power flowed, and the tide of the battle promptly swung in their favour.

"Go bro!" Chris murmured encouragingly as the High Priest of Kevlar fell back under Wyatt's sudden and powerful onslaught.

In the end, it was over in minutes. Wyatt swiftly disarmed his opponent with a dazzling array of feints and parries, and then plunged Excalibur directly through the centre of the High Priest's chest, virtually slicing his heart in two. A collective moan rippled through the Orders' remaining members, as the demon priest slid backwards off the sword and slumped to the floor, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. Completely demoralised by their leader's demise, they shimmered away on mass and the battle was abruptly over.

"Maybe they're not so fanatical after all," Paige said, surprised by the almost total retreat.

"Or they don't know how to function without their leaders," Bianca speculated. "I've seen it before with demonic cults. The commanders have complete control; responsibility is rarely delegated to the minions. It's the best way to maintain order, but everything falls apart if something happens to them."

Wyatt joined the little group, an exulting Excalibur in his hand. He quickly scanned their faces to check that they were all okay, and then suddenly went pale. "Where's Emily?"

"Back at the Manor," Chris told him. "There was a… err… a bit of an accident."

"She's okay though," he added off his brother's concerned look. "Dad healed her."

Wyatt nodded and bent to retrieve the Sword of Simzar from the ground. "Whoa!" he said, staggering backwards as the two weapons in his hands sensed each other's presence and reacted with swift and violent intensity.

"Take it!" he demanded urgently, holding out Excalibur towards his brother. Chris quickly took the sword from him and the angry snarls reverberating around inside Wyatt's head subsided.

"I guess they don't like each other very much," he quipped, stunned by the level of hatred that existed between the two swords.

Piper looked between her two sons, her brown eyes full of motherly censure. "Now is not the time," she said sternly. "But I think we need to have a little talk."

"Dad's okay with it," Chris swiftly interjected, trying to head off the looming lecture. "He already knew," he added as a quick aside to his brother.

"Be that as it may, you were forbidden to touch it," his mother reminded him. "I want to know how many other rules you've seen fit to break without telling us."

Chris exchanged a chagrined look with Wyatt. "Wonderful," he said, rolling his eyes in exaggerated dismay.

Paige laughed, but quickly stifled it when Piper threw a disapproving scowl in her direction. "Time to go I think," she said, quickly changing the subject.

She held her hands out towards her sisters so that she could orb them back home. Following her example, Wyatt, Chris and Bianca also transported themselves back to the Manor, appearing out of thin air in the downstairs living room.

"Is it over?" Leo asked, quickly rising from the armchair that he'd been reclining in. Chloe and Emily, who had been sitting side by side on the sofa, also scrambled to their feet.

"Yes," Wyatt said simply, and then shot an uncomfortable, sidelong glance at his girlfriend.

There was an awkward pause as they each recalled the circumstances in which they'd parted company, and then… "I'm sorry," they both blurted at the same time.

Wyatt smiled, the tension quickly draining out of him. Hooking his arm around her waist, he drew Chloe close into side and looked down at the Sword of Simzar held in his free hand.

"What do I do with this thing?" he asked his father. "Can it be destroyed?"

Leo shook his head. "No, not without destroying Excalibur as well. They both have to exist to maintain the balance between good and evil."

Wyatt grimaced. "I figured as much," he said wryly. "So any suggestions on what I should do with it then?"

"Put it back where it belongs," was the Elder's wise advice.

"Well the sooner I get rid of it the better as far as I am concerned," the blond witch-whitelighter said, letting his arm drop from his girlfriend's waist and stepping away from her. "I'll see you all in a minute."

"That needs to go back where it belongs too," Leo said, indicating the sword in his youngest son's hand as the twinkling sound of Wyatt's departure dissipated.

While Chris obediently returned Excalibur to the basement, the rest of them sank wearily into the various chairs and sofas scattered about the downstairs living space, exhausted by the night's rollercoaster ride of events. Fifteen minutes later, just as they were beginning to worry about his continued absence, Wyatt finally rejoined them.

"What took you so long?" Piper demanded of her son.

"I thought I should reinstall the enchantments on the Tomb," Wyatt told her. "It took me a while to figure out how to reverse your spell."

Piper nodded, unable to fault his logic. "Well I think we should all try to get some sleep," she decided. "Bianca, Chloe and Emily can stay in Chris's room, and you and he can share yours."

She looked over at her sisters, who were getting ready to return to their respective families.

"How about a family brunch here later on this morning?" she suggested. "Bring the girls – and Paul and Nick too if they can make it."

Both Paige and Phoebe nodded in agreement, and then they clasped hands and orbed away.

"Did you have to invite the sorority from hell?" Wyatt asked in a plaintive tone.

"Wyatt!" Piper admonished sharply.

"Come on Mom, you know what they're like. They're going to be a complete nightmare with Chloe here. I can hear it now – 'Are you Wyatt's girlfriend? Do you think he's hot? Are you in _lurve_ with him?"

Chris chuckled at his brother's dismay, and then leaned in towards Emily who was standing beside him. "Be very grateful that your cousin hasn't got the annoying brat gene like all of ours," he joked. "You don't know how lucky you are, believe me."

Piper tried, unsuccessfully, to stifle her smile. "Will you stop?" she playfully rebuked her sons.

They grinned unrepentantly at her and she shook her head at their cheeky insolence. "Your father and I will sort out some bedding for you all," she said in an exasperated tone, and then quickly ushered her grinning husband out of the room before the situation could deteriorate further.

"Well I don't know about any of you," Wyatt said after his parents had left. "But I'm way too wired to sleep right now."

Stretching his arms above his head, he cracked his knuckles and glanced contemplatively at his girlfriend. "We should probably talk," he said with quiet emphasis.

Chloe nodded in agreement, and then followed him though into the kitchen and out on into the garden. The moon was full, and its silvery light cast an ethereal glow, as the two of them walked down the path to the small gazebo at the bottom of the garden. They sat down next to each other on its steps, and a slightly uncomfortable silence fell over them, neither of them knowing quite where to start. Eventually though, Wyatt cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak, only to be cut off when Chloe placed two fingers over his lips before he could get a word out.

"I have something to say," she announced.

Her boyfriend nodded. "I'm listening."

"I had a talk with your Dad."

Wyatt's eyes widened but he refrained from comment.

"Don't worry, he defended your case rather well," Chloe told him with a soft smile. "He gave me a lot to think about actually."

"Oh?"

"He helped me to understand what it's like to be you. To have the responsibilities you have, I mean. I guess I've never really thought about what a burden that must be. It's a lot for one person to carry, but you seem to be able to handle it okay…"

"Most of the time anyway," Wyatt cut in rather ruefully.

Chloe nodded. "I think that sometimes you must crave a place to retreat to though, somewhere where you can forget about all of that stuff and just be you. I could be wrong of course…"

"No, no – you're not," Wyatt softly interrupted. "I do feel like that sometimes."

"Well I realised something about myself tonight," Chloe continued, gazing out over the moonlit garden, her expression contemplative.

"You did?"

"Yeah, I did. I realised that I'm not like Emily; I don't need to be involved, not to any great extent anyway. I want to help out where I can, but I'm happy with my life the way it is. If you need me to stay in the background as far as the magical stuff goes, then I can do that. I can be your place to retreat to if you want me to be."

"Oh I want," Wyatt said thickly, his voice vibrating with emotion.

Chloe smiled and half-turned to face him, reaching out to take his hands in hers. "There is one condition though," she said, her tone becoming strongly resolute.

"Go on," Wyatt said with an incline of his head.

"I won't be the meek and mild girlfriend," she told him rather forcefully. "When you come home to me, you leave all the Twice-Blessed Child stuff at the door. I don't care who you are; I won't be anything less than your equal. Got it?"

Wyatt chuckled at her fierce tone. "Yeah, I've got it," he said mildly, gently squeezing her fingers. There was a pregnant pause as they smiled into each other's eyes and then Wyatt asked, "So is it my turn now?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah – I think I've pretty much said my piece."

"Umm… I was out of line earlier…"

"Well that's one thing we agree on."

"Whether you believe me or not, I didn't mean to be so… well, condescending. I was under pressure and I wasn't very diplomatic."

"Oh you think?" Chloe teased lightly.

Wyatt made a face at her. "I'm really sorry, okay?"

"Okay. Apology accepted."

Smiling broadly at her ready forgiveness, Wyatt leaned in towards her until they were practically nose-to-nose. "You're not supposed to let me off so easily," he said, his blue eyes twinkling with silent laughter.

Chloe kissed him, soft and sweetly. "What if I want to?" she whispered back conspiratorially.

Wyatt didn't answer. Instead, he brushed a stray strand of her hair off her forehead and gently palmed the side of her face in his hand, his azure eyes vibrant with deep emotion.

"I love you," he blurted before he lost his nerve.

The declaration was soft and effortlessly sincere and Chloe's breath caught in her throat in reaction. She smiled, a wide beautiful smile that lit up her whole face and made her eyes glow.

"I love you too," she said earnestly, and then moved into his waiting arms and pressed her soft lips to his.

Several blissful minutes later, they finally resurfaced for air, their breathing erratic and their hearts racing ten to the dozen. As their lips parted, Wyatt bent to nuzzle at her neck and Chloe closed her eyes, letting out a soft sigh as his mouth teased the sensitive flesh of her throat, sending warm shivers down her spine.

"Can I ask you something?" he murmured against her skin.

"Uh-huh," she responded unintelligibly.

Wyatt lifted his head and looked down into her upturned face. "Look at me," he urged.

Chloe opened her eyes and met his gaze. What she saw there made her heart skip a beat and her stomach flutter with butterflies.

"Yes," she whispered, knowing what he was going to ask without him even having to say it.

"You sure?" Wyatt queried, needing her to be certain.

Chloe nodded. "Yes," she reiterated with conviction.

Wyatt let his breath out in a rush. "Not here," he said gruffly.

"No, that wouldn't be very appropriate," she softly concurred, her gentle humour breaking the tension between them.

Wyatt smiled. "My place then?"

Chloe nodded in acquiescence and the familiar feeling of being orbed overwhelmed her senses. A split second later, she found herself standing in the living room of the Halliwell brother's apartment, still held loosely within the circle of her boyfriend's arms. The two of them looked nervously at each other for a moment, and then Wyatt tightened his arms around her and bent to capture her mouth with his.

Her arms rising to circle his waist, Chloe responded to his ardent kisses with a depth of passion that equalled his own, her eyes fluttering closed as she surrendered herself to the dizzying embrace. Slipping her hands under his t-shirt, she ran her palms up and down his back, relishing the warmth of his bare skin under her fingertips while he continued to kiss her breathless.

All too soon though, Wyatt untangled himself from their heated embrace and gently pushed her away. Moving back a step, he wordlessly stretched his hand out towards her, a silent question in his blue eyes. Confident that she was ready to take that next step, Chloe slipped her fingers into his and allowed him to lead her into the bedroom…

**_And that's all folks! _**

**_Next time…the beginning of the fallout for Chris, Emily and Bianca, plus brunch with the family…_**

P.S. Almost forgot – thanks for the reviews :-)


	19. Truth and Consequences

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Another update for you – sorry I'm concentrating on this story at the expense of my other one. I want to get to a certain point in this tale - namely the end of the next chapter - before I switch back to working on 'False Memories.'

**Re: Martina G - **Happy you're still reading :-)

**Re: Victorious Light** – Glad that you like the way I'm portraying the Wyatt/Chris relationship - I'm having real fun writing it! I especially enjoyed writing the little brother/big brother scene in this chapter ;-)

**Re: Charmed Clover** - see additional author's note at the end of the chapter re: Chris's reaction.

**Re: Everyone else who reviewed.** Thank you so much – it's always great to get feedback. It keeps me writing so please keep reviewing!

Mini warning: there's one slightly bad word and some (relatively mild) innuendo in this part.

**

* * *

Chapter 19 **

Piper re-entered the lounge, a mountain of blankets and pillows in her arms.

"Where's your brother?" she asked Chris, as she set the bundle of bedding down on an empty chair.

"Outside with Chloe," he replied.

"Oh right," she said delicately. "Well – there's blankets and pillows for you all there. Your father and I are going to bed. Don't stay up too much longer, will you?"

"Don't worry; I'll go to bed like a good little boy in a minute."

Piper lightly cuffed her grinning son round the ear. "Don't be smart, mister."

"Yes Mom."

Rolling her eyes in affectionate tolerance, Piper bent and kissed the top his head. "Goodnight then," she said, nodding at Bianca and Emily as she straightened up. "Sleep well."

She turned to leave, but then stopped and looked back. "Oh, I almost forget," she said, turning her gaze on Emily. "There's a change of clothes for you there too. It's just some old sweatpants and a t-shirt of Paige's – I think you're around her size - I thought you might appreciate them."

Emily blushed and looked down at herself; she was still wearing the revealing costume that her kidnappers had put her in, having had nothing else to change into. "Umm yeah – thanks Mrs Halliwell."

"Call me Piper please – Mrs Halliwell makes me sound like I'm about seventy."

"Oh, okay. Sorry."

Piper smiled. "I'll see you kids in the morning then," she said and quietly left the room.

There was a short, rather awkward silence and then Emily spoke up. "I didn't get a chance to thank you," she said to Bianca. "For saving my life earlier, I mean."

"Anytime," Bianca replied, her tone stiffly polite. "I hear you returned the favour anyway."

"Huh?" Emily asked, not understanding what the other girl meant.

"Saved _my _life," Bianca answered, looking pointedly over at Chris.

"Oh! Umm, yeah…" Emily flustered, her cheeks turning rosy.

In an attempt to cover up her confusion, she hurriedly got to her feet and went to retrieve the change of clothes that Piper had provided her with. "I'll just go and…," she said, indicating towards the hallway with her thumb.

"Yes, you do that," Bianca said stonily, and Emily quickly retreated.

Chris stared at his girlfriend in stunned disbelief. "What the hell was that all about?" he demanded.

"What was what all about?" she replied sullenly.

"You _know _what."

Bianca's temper snapped, all her worries and insecurities bubbling to the surface in a huge rush. "Open your eyes, Chris. She's trying to break us up."

Chris let his breath out in exasperation. "Don't be so stupid."

"Don't call me stupid! I've seen the way she looks at you, all doe-eyed and pathetic. I thought it was a just harmless crush, but after tonight, I'm not so sure. She knows how to manipulate the situation to her own advantage, doesn't she? I mean, look at you, you're lapping it up!"

"Look Bianca, I don't know where you've got this crazy idea from, but Emily and I are just friends."

Bianca shook her head. "You just can't see it, can you?"

"I can see that my own girlfriend doesn't trust me."

"This isn't about that."

"Isn't it?" Chris demanded hotly. "Because from where I'm standing that's exactly what it's about!"

"So you think I should just sit back and accept it if another woman comes onto my man, do you?"

"No, of course not – you'd have a reason to be angry if that's what had happened."

"It has happened!"

"No Bianca. It hasn't."

"All right so why did she act all guilty back there then?"

"Well I don't know - probably because you made her feel like she'd done something wrong."

With an angry toss of her head, Bianca leapt to her feet and stalked out into the hallway, her curtain of long, sleek hair swinging from side to side like a pendulum. Swearing under his breath, Chris chased after her, accosting her just as she reached the front door.

"Where are you going?" he demanded, planting himself between his seething girlfriend and her way of escape.

"Home! There's no point discussing this with you if you're not even going to listen. Now get out of my way!"

She tried to push him aside, but Chris stood his ground, grasping hold of her upper arms in a firm grip and refusing to let her leave.

"Bianca, this is madness," he said. "I know things haven't been all that great between us recently, but if you honestly believe that I would cheat on you…," Chris broke off and shook his head with regret.

"I don't think that. It's just… I want you to tell Emily to back off. Tell her you're not interested."

Shifting uncomfortably, Chris looked down at his feet, avoiding her gaze.

"But you're not willing to do that, are you?" his girlfriend asked, her eyes boring like lasers into the top of his bent head.

"It's not that simple, Bianca."

"Yes it is – either you love me or you don't."

"I love you, you know I do, but Emily hasn't done anything wrong."

"Says you."

"Yes, says me, okay?" Chris shot back in frustration, lifting his head to look her straight in the eye. "Even if - as you say - she does have feelings for me, she's never done anything about them. How can I condemn her for that? It's not right. She doesn't deserve to be humiliated in that way."

"So her feelings are more important than mine, is that it?"

"I didn't say that. Stop twisting my words."

"You didn't have to say it, Chris," Bianca stormed furiously. "Your actions are screaming it from the rooftops."

Chris's control finally reached breaking point. "Fine!" he snapped angrily. "If that's what you think, then maybe you should go."

He stepped aside and yanked open the door. "Go on – go! What's the point in continuing with this if you can't even trust me?"

Bianca glared at him and then stormed out into the night, slamming the door behind her with such force that the panes of glass rattled.

"Arghh!"

Chris clenched his fists and lightly banged his forehead against the doorframe in frustration until a faint movement from behind distracted him. Spinning around, he came face to face with Emily and his heart sank. Shit! How much had she overheard?

The young, redheaded witch was standing just inside the doorway to the kitchen, a horrified expression on her pretty face and her blue eyes shadowed with something indefinable. She was dressed in a green t-shirt and pair of grey sweatpants that were slightly too big for her, and she held the white toga dress clutched tightly against her chest.

For a long moment, they stared at each other in silence before Emily broke their gaze and looked down at the floor. "I… umm, I think I'll go to bed," she said hesitantly. "Umm where…?"

"First floor, second door on the right," Chris told her.

He went into the lounge, fetched some bedding and wordlessly held it out to her. Keeping her eyes averted, Emily took them from him with a soft murmur of thanks and started up the stairs.

"Emily?" Chris called out when she was about halfway up.

He distinctly heard her intake of breath. "Yes?"

"About… err… what you heard. Don't let it get to you, okay? It's mine and Bianca's problem not yours."

Emily nodded, her eyes downcast. Chris sighed; he could tell from her body language that she was dying to get away from him so he gave her the opening she needed.

"Well, goodnight then."

"Yeah – goodnight."

Chris watched her retreat up the rest of the steps, and then turned on his heel and went back into the lounge, flinging himself on the sofa with a low groan. Just great! Not only was his girlfriend not speaking to him, he'd managed to alienate one of his closest friends as well. Not bad for one night's work. He'd really surpassed himself this time.

He put his hands over his face, closed his eyes and resisted the urge to scream…

**OOOOOO**

Hearing the soft click as she pushed the bedroom door closed, Emily rested her forehead against the wooden panel and sighed heavily. She stood there like that for a long moment, and then turned round and sank to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest.

She didn't know what to think or feel – Chris had said that this was his and Bianca's problem, but was it? Didn't Bianca have a reason to be upset? She hadn't meant to, but she'd fallen in love with someone who wasn't hers to have. She'd kept all those forbidden feelings locked up inside up until now, but tonight… tonight she'd let them escape the confines of her heart and in doing so had crossed that invisible line from right into wrong.

What's more, Bianca had noticed it and Chris too, given his cagey answer to his girlfriend's assertion that she had feelings for him. Up until now, whatever troubles Chris and Bianca had had in their relationship, Emily knew that they had nothing to do with her. Now though, that was no longer the case and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was responsible somehow.

While some, less admirable, part of her rejoiced in the fact that her presence was causing such friction between them, the overriding sense was one of guilt. It had all gone too far. She didn't want to be the cause of their break-up. Her attempt to distract herself by dating Matthew had only worked to a degree. She might not dwell on them so much, but the feelings were still there as strong as ever, there was no denying that. If she was ever going to get past this and move on with her life, then she needed to make a clean break.

A clean break… her mind rewound to a conversation that she'd had with her boss a few days earlier…

…

"_Mr Hanson? You wanted to see me?"_

"_Yes Emily – come in, sit down."_

_Emily seated herself in the large, leather chair in front of the desk and looked expectantly at him. Mr Hanson was in his mid-thirties, handsome and go-getting but down to earth with it - in other words, an ideal boss._

"_As I'm sure you're probably aware, we're planning to open up a second branch in California – just outside of LA."_

"_Yes, I'd heard that."_

"_We will mainly be recruiting staff from the surrounding area, but we're hoping to take a few of our San Francisco employees along to help establish the new office. I know you haven't been working here very long, but you're young, enthusiastic and have a good head on your shoulders. I'd like you to come with us."_

"_Oh!" Emily was a little taken aback. This was the last thing she'd been expecting._

"_It'd be a promotion for you – junior office manager - and the relocation doesn't have to be permanent, not if you don't want it to be. We would need you in LA for six months, perhaps a year, but then you'd be free to transfer back to San Francisco if that's what you preferred."_

"_I don't know what to say."_

"_Then don't say anything – not yet anyway. Think about it for a while. If you decide that it's not for you, then that's fine, it won't affect your prospects here, I assure you. You're a good worker; we wouldn't want to lose you. However, we do need an answer one way or other by the end of next week. Do you think you can make a decision by then?"_

_Emily nodded. "Yes, I think so."_

"_Good. Then I'll await your answer," he said, smiling warmly at her._

…

With her boss' words ringing in her ears, Emily rose to her feet and reached out to turn on the free-standing lamp in the corner of the room. She was in what was clearly an adolescent boy's bedroom, given the posters of various bands and sport stars on the wall. A photo of a teenage Wyatt and Chris stood on the dresser, together with a picture of a young – approximately ten-year-old - Chris with his Mom and Dad.

There was a bed in the corner of the room and Emily moved to sit down on it. The comforter and sheets were clean and smelt fresh; Piper must have only provided them with blankets and pillows because she knew some of them would have to sleep on the floor. Stripping off her outer clothing so that she was clad in just her underwear, Emily got under the bedclothes and lay down, tucking the covers around her.

She turned off the light using her telekinesis and then closed her eyes, trying to make sense of all the conflicting emotions whirling around inside her head. She would take the job in Los Angeles, she decided. She had to get away for a while and this gave her the perfect opportunity to do so. Six months wasn't forever, she could put her San Francisco dream on hold for that long. It would give her time to clear her head.

Chloe would try to persuade her to stay, she knew. And maybe even Wyatt and Chris too, although she was in two minds about the latter. She had to be strong however. Everything was such a mess and this was finally a way to get her life back on track. Leaving was the only option open to her now.

Her mind made up, Emily gave into her exhaustion and drifted off to sleep…

**OOOOOO**

Chris lay flat on his back on the spare bed in Wyatt's old room, gazing up at the shifting shadows being cast by the moonlight filtering in through a gap in the drapes. Despite his fatigue, his body and mind refused to shut down as he went over and over the events of the last few hours in his head.

He should call Bianca, he knew, but he couldn't quite summon the energy right now. Waiting a few more hours until she'd calmed down was probably the sensible thing to do anyway. There wasn't really much point in calling her until there was at least a chance that they'd be able to talk rationally about things.

He sighed – since when had he become so blasé about their arguments? Had they become so routine that they hardly affected him anymore? He should be more upset than he was - and be more willing to do whatever was necessary to alleviate her insecurities. Was it any wonder that Bianca felt so threatened by Emily, given his current indecision over the long-term future of their relationship?

Despite understanding where she was coming from, his girlfriend's lack of faith still grated on him. He'd done nothing wrong and nor would he. He loved Bianca and would never deliberately hurt her, she had to know that. It all came down to trust in the end - without that, what else was there?

Chris turned on his side and punched a hole in the pillow in which to lay his weary head. All this analyzing made his brain hurt and he was hardly in the best frame of mind to be objective. Hopefully things would seem clearer in the morning…

**OOOOOO**

Emily awoke from a deep, dreamless slumber a few hours later, still fuzzyheaded but no longer so bone-tired. She could hear the clinking of crockery from downstairs and instinctively knew that Piper was in the midst of preparing brunch for her expected guests.

Rising from the bed, she dressed in her borrowed clothes and crossed to the door. It was then that she realised that she was alone in the room. Chloe hadn't joined her by the looks of things; the only spare bedding was that which she had brought up herself. Guessing what that probably meant, Emily smiled, happy for her cousin despite her own heavy heart.

Opening the door, she immediately came face to face with Chris, who had emerged from the room opposite at exactly the same time.

"Morning," he said after an uncomfortable pause.

"Hey," she replied awkwardly. "Umm… do think your Mom would mind if I took a shower?" she asked for wont of something better to say.

Chris shook his head. "No, go ahead. There'll be spare towels in the cupboard under the vanity," he replied in a horribly polite tone that made Emily cringe.

"Okay thanks," she said and moved off down the hallway before the excruciatingly embarrassing situation could get any worse.

"Emily?"

She came to a halt, her heart sinking inside her chest. He wouldn't humiliate her by bringing up the subject she was trying her best to avoid, would he? She slowly turned round, reluctant to face him but knowing that she had to.

"Yes?"

"Umm did Chloe…?" Chris gestured towards the door of the bedroom that she'd just emerged from.

"Oh! Err… well, umm… no."

Chris nodded, a glimmer of a smile quirking at the corners of his lips. "Figured as much," he said with quiet aplomb. "That's going to be an interesting one to explain to Mom."

Emily smiled, despite herself. "Rather you than me," she quipped.

"Thanks," Chris returned, his voice loaded with healthy dose of sarcasm.

This little exchange seemed to ease some of the tension between them and Emily pushed open the bathroom door, feeling a whole lot better about things. Even if they were going to be living hundreds of miles apart, she wasn't going to be able to avoid contact with Chris altogether, not with Wyatt and Chloe's relationship developing the way it was. It was inevitable that they would have to spend some time in each other's presence, so it was important that they find some middle ground so that things could remain relatively civilised.

Twenty minutes later, Emily made her way downstairs to the kitchen to find Chris and Leo sitting at the table drinking coffee, while Piper bustled about preparing a mountain of food as the radio played quietly to itself in the background.

"Can I do anything to help?" Emily asked politely.

"No sweetie, you're alright. I think I have everything under control."

Feeling a bit out of place, Emily sat down and poured herself a mug of coffee. As she sipped at the hot drink, Piper placed two huge platters of muffins in the centre of the table and glanced enquiringly at her son.

"Where's your brother?" she asked.

Chris froze, his mug halfway between his lips and the table. "Err…"

"Here." Wyatt's voice came from behind them as he calmly walked into the kitchen with Chloe in tow.

Chris's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. "Sleep well?" he asked with heavy emphasis.

"Perfectly well, thank you," Wyatt replied breezily, solicitously holding out a chair for his rosy-cheeked girlfriend.

"I'll bet," his brother replied with a broad grin.

Wyatt shot him a keep-your-big-mouth-shut look and Chris laughed, his green eyes sparkling with mirth. Chloe flushed even redder and Emily had to cover her mouth to stifle her laughter.

"Is there something funny?" Piper asked, looking between her sons.

"No, no, nothing," Chris replied airily, struggling to wipe the huge grin off his face.

His mother's eyes narrowed as if she didn't believe him, but she let it pass. "What about Bianca?"

"Oh, umm… she went home," Chris said vaguely, his expression instantly sobering. "Family thing."

There was a sound of a key turning in a lock then and Phoebe's voice rang out a moment later. "Hi honey! I'm home."

She bustled into the kitchen and smiled merrily at them all. "The kids are on the way, but…. ohh!"

Swiftly turning on her heel, she dashed back out into the entrance hall as fast as her legs could carry her.

Piper shook her head. "She's always been weird," she said to nobody in particular.

"Wyatt? Can I talk to you for a minute please?" his Aunt called from the other room.

Wyatt rolled his eyes long-sufferingly, but went out to speak to her nevertheless. "What?"

"Chloe. Empathy-blocking potion. Now!"

"What? Oh… oh right!"

"Yes. _Really_ don't need to know the details."

Wyatt smiled as she wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Sorry, I forgot."

"Yes, yes, but remedy now please." Phoebe waved her hands at him to chivvy him along.

"Can't you block it out?"

"Not when she's glowing like a thousand watt light bulb I can't, no."

His ego suitably stoked, Wyatt grinned and orbed upstairs to the attic. After retrieving a small bottle of potion from the antique armoire, he went back down to the kitchen and passed it to Chloe under the table.

"You need to drink," he said quietly, keeping his voice low so that nobody could hear.

Chris, it seemed, could pick up a whisper in a thunderstorm though and he immediately burst out laughing, much to his brother's annoyance.

"Will you shut up?" Wyatt hissed from between clenched teeth.

"Why? When this is so much fun?" Chris shot back aggravatingly.

Wyatt opened his mouth to let fly with a suitably stinging retort, but was cut off when the musical sound of mingled female voices filled the air.

Chris's grin got even wider. "Ready for your worst nightmare?" he asked.

Wyatt grimaced. "You really don't have to enjoy this quite so much, you know," he complained as the rest of the family descended on mass.

"It's not fair! You guys get to have all the fun," Prue - Phoebe's eldest daughter - said grumpily, seating herself between her two cousins and pouting dramatically. "I'm almost nineteen now, I should get to go along when you kick demon ass. Why didn't anyone call me?"

"Well I don't know," Chris replied with heavy sarcasm. "_Maybe_ we were a little bit preoccupied."

"And what kind of excuse is that?" Prue's face was a picture of injured pride.

"Hello."

Emily jumped and looked around to find a small girl of about eight sitting next to her. She had a round face, big brown eyes and her dark hair was tied up in cute little pigtails.

"Are you Wyatt's new girlfriend?"

"Err, no… she is," Emily jabbed her thumb at Chloe sitting beside her.

The little girl beamed. "I'm Amy – Wyatt's my favourite boy cousin. He's so cool!"

"Chris is funnier though," she added as an afterthought, making both Chloe and Emily laugh.

"Amy honey, did you wash your hands?" Paige called from where she was helping Piper with the cooking.

"No Mommy."

"Do it now please."

As she climbed down from her chair, Amy glowered fiercely at a girl who looked to be in her early teens. "You're not allowed to steal my seat," she said aggressively.

The other girl waited calmly until she'd gone and then deliberately ignored her. "Hi! I'm Patty – you're Emily and Chloe right?"

"Yes."

"So," Patty said, resting her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands. "Is Wyatt a good kisser?"

"Patty!" Wyatt protested vehemently.

"What? I wanna know."

"Everyone wants to know," another girl of about sixteen said from across the table. "You should hear the other girls in my grade go on about it. 'Oh my god, Wyatt Halliwell. He's just so hot! I want to have his babies!' I tell them he's not worth all the effort, but they never listen."

"Thanks Kayla," Wyatt said sarcastically, and then looked at Chloe in exasperation. "See what I have to put up with?" he lamented in a tragic tone.

Chloe laughed. "Aww! Poor baby!" she crooned, cupping the side of his face in her hand. Unable to resist, she then leaned forward and kissed him, prompting a chorus of whistles and catcalls to echo round the table.

"Sorry," she whispered apologetically when they drew apart.

"Did you hear me complaining?" Wyatt asked, smiling down into her eyes as he curled his fingers around hers and bent to kiss the backs of her knuckles.

"MOM! Patty stole my seat." Little Amy had her hands on her hips and her expression was outraged.

"I so did not – it was empty. She shouldn't have got down from the table if she wanted to sit here."

"You know I'm kind of lonely over here," Chris said, quickly rising from the table to avert the impending sibling war.

Hooking his right arm around his youngest cousin's middle, he effortlessly lifted her high off the ground, making her squeal in delight. Returning to his chair, he settled her comfortably in his lap and Amy beamed happily up at him, apparently mollified. She then ruined the whole effect by poking her tongue out at her elder sister, who stuck her nose in the air and haughtily ignored her.

Wyatt rolled his eyes and looked over at Chloe. "Welcome to the madhouse," he said. "Aren't you just so glad you got involved with me?"

Chloe smiled and then leaned in close and put her mouth to his ear. "She's wrong," she whispered.

"Mmm?"

"Your cousin – err… Kayla? She said you weren't worth all the effort. You are."

Wyatt turned his head into hers. "Well, if I can make a woman glow like a thousand watt light bulb then I must be doing something right," he quipped.

"Huh?"

"Nothing – just something my Aunt Phoebe said."

At first, Chloe didn't get it, but then the truth dawned – Phoebe's flight from the kitchen earlier, Wyatt giving her the empathy-blocking potion shortly afterwards… Her violet-blue eyes widened in horror. "Oh. My. God."

Wyatt chuckled. "Relax – she was outta here so fast, she only had time to catch a brief glimpse."

"Yes but she knows!"

"Chloe – I'm twenty-five. She already knows."

"Yes but… but… she knows… like details!"

"You're cute when you're all embarrassed, you know that?" Wyatt told her with a wide grin.

Chloe swatted him lightly on the forearm. "I don't know how you can be so calm about this."

Wyatt shrugged. "Aunt Phoebe's pretty cool about stuff like that. They all are really. Don't worry about it."

Chloe sighed, her cheeks still pink with embarrassment.

"You're not regretting it, are you?" Wyatt asked then. "Last night, I mean."

Chloe shook her head. "No, no - of course not. It was…," she trailed off and smiled shyly up at him through lowered lashes.

Wyatt smiled back at her, his blue eyes warm and gentle. "Yeah, I thought so too," he said before giving into the urge to kiss her again.

"Umm bro?" Chris said, nudging him in the small of the back. "Better cool it – you're starting to attract attention."

With a low grumbling sound, Wyatt reluctantly separated himself from his girlfriend and turned back to the breakfast table, helping himself to a mountain of bacon and eggs. Following his example, Chloe selected a lemon and poppy seed muffin from the platter in front of her and began to eat. As she cut the cake into quarters, she shot a sidelong glance at Emily and saw that her cousin was pushing around the pancakes on her plate in a rather disinterested manner.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

Emily looked up at her with sad, liquid eyes and shook her head dispiritedly. Chloe immediately opened her mouth to ask what the problem was, but her cousin cut her off. "I'll tell you later," she said, turning back to her food and effectively ending the conversation.

Knowing she wasn't going to get any more out of her until they were somewhere less public, Chloe chose not to push the issue. Instead, as Wyatt turned to engage her in conversation once more, she let herself be drawn into the light-hearted banter bouncing like a ping-pong ball between the various members of the close-knit Halliwell clan seated around the table.

However, the twisted knot of worry inside remained. She knew Emily and her gut instinct told her that whatever her cousin had to tell her wasn't something trivial. In light of Bianca's suspicious absence and the fact that he and Emily seemed to be avoiding speaking to each other, it didn't take a genius to work out that it had something to do with Chris either.

The question was – which way was her cousin intending to jump? Into the fire or out of it?

_**To be continued…**_

**

* * *

Additional Author's note:** probably pre-empting review comments here but just so you know, the Chris POV scene is purposely short and Bianca-centric, which I know might seem a bit odd in the context of this chapter. However, once you've read Part 20 - a lot of which is told from Chris's point of view - it should all make sense – hopefully anyway :-) 

P.S. There's actually meant to be five cousins - three courtesy of Phoebe and two courtesy of Paige - but I didn't quite manage to write the fifth one into this chapter. She'll make an appearance later on in the story though.


	20. A Bittersweet Parting

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi folks! Another update for you. **Warning: **there is a strong suggestion of sexual activity in this chapter, but it's nothing too graphic.

As ever, thanks for all the reviews. Individual replies below:

**Re: Trina-K - **the one time I don't check my US geography, which is bad because I live in the UK (which of course is not really an excuse!) … oops! Luckily, your review was the first and I was still online so I managed to remedy the problem before too many people read my blooper! I think I like the replace chapter content facility! Thanks for pointing it out – a box of virtual chocolates to you :-)

**Re: SnowyOwl-17 – **you'll have to wait and see re: Chris and Emily ;-)

**Re: TVCrazed - **I think I said Patty was in her early teens – I imagined about fourteen. I loosely based the age of the cousins on Phoebe's vision in 'The Legend of Sleepy Halliwell,' which is why they're quite a bit younger than Wyatt and Chris. Plus, two twenty-something guys with a troupe of teenage girls for cousins offers great potential for amusing situations!

In summary, they are: Phoebe's daughters – Prue (18 going on 19), Kayla (16) and Natalie - who wasn't in the last chapter but will appear later (14 nearly 15). And Paige's daughters: Patty (14) and little Amy (8)

**Re: Victorious Light – **your answer is at the end because it refers to something that happens in this chapter and I didn't want to spoil you!

**Re: the rest of my readers – **Thanks for reading. :-) If don't already read my review replies, it might be worth reading my answer to Victorious Light above (and at the end) because it explains something that I would normally put in an Author's Note.

**

* * *

Chapter 20 **

Chris sat on the window ledge in his bedroom, looking out over the city lights, lost in thought. The window was open and a warm breeze drifted in from outside, ruffling his unruly mop of dark hair and pleasantly prickling at his skin. There was a light tap on the door and his brother poked his head around the frame.

"Hey! Can I come in?"

"Sure," Chris absently waved him inside, his gaze still focused on the view from the window.

Wyatt entered the room and walked over to sit down on the edge of the bed. "Emily's leaving tomorrow," he said after a brief pause.

Chris nodded noncommittally. "Apparently so."

"And I think that maybe you should talk about it."

"About what?" Chris asked, despite knowing exactly what.

"About whether or not you can give her a reason to stay."

Chris's head whipped round and he stared at Wyatt in shock. He had expected his brother to bring up the fact that Emily was more than likely leaving because of him, but he had not expected that. "W-what?"

"Look – I'm not taking sides here. I just know that you and Bianca have been having some problems recently…"

"And I know that doesn't mean you don't love her," Wyatt continued as Chris opened his mouth to protest. "But I also know that your reaction to Emily's kidnapping was… well, let's say excessive, shall we? Dad said you were panic-stricken when she'd been stabbed."

"Oh right – so what? You and Dad have been discussing my personal life behind my back now, have you?"

"No – we're worried about you that's all. Is there anything wrong with that?"

"What the hell do you want me to say, Wyatt?" Chris demanded, finally finding a release for all the emotion that he'd been bottling up over the past three weeks. "Do I have doubts about my long-term future with Bianca? Yes – but then you already knew that. Does it bother me that our arguments have gotten so commonplace that they barely even register with me anymore? Yes, it does. Do I feel guilty that Emily has been dragged into all this mess? Yes, I do. What more is there to say?"

"All I know is your mood has been up and down like a yo-yo ever since you found out Emily was taking that job in Los Angeles. I'm not here to judge, Chris – I just want to know what's going on in that head of yours. I want to help."

Feeling backed into a corner, Chris raked his fingers through his hair, mussing it up. "I love Bianca," he declared stridently.

"I'm not questioning that."

"Aren't you?"

"No, no I'm not."

Chris sighed. "Things are so messed up between us at the moment," he said quietly. "I thought we'd come to an agreement on the way forward – that she'd give me some space to get my head together and I'd give her a definite answer at the end of that time. Then, all of this blows up and suddenly it feels like we're back at square one."

"But I thought the two of you had made up?"

"We have, sort of. Put it this way - Emily moving to LA has gotten rid of the problem."

Wyatt nodded. "And what about Emily herself?" he asked cautiously.

"What about her?"

"Chris…"

"She's leaving because of me, because of what she overheard that night, because of…"

"The way she feels about you?" Wyatt put in when his brother failed to finish the sentence.

Chris turned to look at him, his green eyes questioning. "Has Chloe said anything?" he asked.

Wyatt shook his head. "No, she wouldn't betray her cousin's confidence in that way. The fact that she hasn't said anything is telling in itself if you ask me though."

Chris nodded and looked away. "I didn't realise – not until that night. And what with everything that went on with Bianca, it didn't really sink in until afterwards, not until she said she was leaving. Up until then, I thought she was avoiding me because she was embarrassed about what had happened."

"And what about you? How do you feel about it?"

Chris looked down at his hands, obviously uncomfortable with the subject.

"I told you I wouldn't judge," his brother reminded him.

"I… I don't know. She is… _was_ my friend. And I guess if I'm honest with myself, I am attracted to her as well. I just don't know whether it's real or not."

"How do you mean?"

"Things between Bianca and I are so complicated right now. Maybe I'm drawn to Emily because being with her is so easy."

Chris paused, his green eyes contemplative. "I love Bianca, I know I do," he said with conviction. "Emily is great but I don't… it's not the same."

Wyatt nodded. "So why have you been such a pain in the ass to live with these last few weeks then?"

Chris's lips twisted into a wry grimace. "Probably because I've been living in denial, pretending non of this is happening. And because I felt guilty – for feeling those feelings about Emily, about Bianca, about everything really."

"So maybe Emily taking this job is the best thing for all concerned."

"How'd you figure that?"

"You and Bianca need some space to work out where you're at and where you're going. And Emily… well, I guess she gets the raw end of the deal, doesn't she?"

Chris sighed. "She hasn't done anything wrong, you know. She's never once tried to push things beyond friendship despite what Bianca thinks."

"I didn't think that she had. It's not that that really matters though, is it? The question is – what do _you_ want? Do you want to try to make things work with Bianca? Or do you want to take a chance on Emily? In the end, it's your choice and only you can make it."

Chris's mouth twitched up at the corners. "When did you turn into Dad?" he asked in a rueful tone.

Wyatt smiled. "I don't know – I guess it's in the blood." He stood up and crossed the room to where his brother was sitting. "Look – promise me you'll think about it seriously, okay? Make a decision. Don't let things drift until it's too late to do anything about it."

Chris nodded solemnly. "I will," he pledged. "And thanks."

Wyatt reached out and squeezed his shoulder. "No problem," he said. "What are big brothers for anyway?"

"It was a rhetorical question," he quickly added, spotting the mischievous glint that entered his younger sibling's eyes at his words.

Chris laughed. "And I had such a great answer lined up too," he complained.

"One I could do without hearing I'm sure," Wyatt retorted good-naturedly as he turned to leave.

Chris's smile faded as the door closed behind his brother, his current dilemma weighing heavily on his mind. Wyatt was right – he did have to make a conscious choice about this. Unfortunately, in this instance, avoidance was a whole lot easier than making a decision.

Could he really give up two and a half years of shared history with Bianca for the mere potential of something with Emily? It would be a gigantic leap into the unknown, there was no getting away from that. Then again, could he let Emily walk out of his life when he was no longer certain that his relationship with Bianca could survive?

The course of his entire future might rest on the decision he made tonight and that was a frightening thought. If he made the wrong call now, would there ever be a way back from it? He didn't know and therein lay the problem. At the end of the day, it was a Catch-22 situation whichever side of the fence he chose to land…

**OOOOOO**

_**The following morning…**_

Chloe watched as Emily zipped up her suitcase and locked it before hefting it off the bed and placing it next to her flight bag, which stood in the corner near the door.

"You are sure about this, aren't you?" she asked for what must have been the tenth time that day and the hundredth time that week.

Emily nodded as she reached for her purse. "I have to get away, Chloe," she said. "I need to put some distance between myself and Chris if I'm ever going to move past this."

Chloe sighed. "I get that, I do. I'm just going to miss you."

"I know – I'm going to miss you too, but it won't be like it was before. We'll be able to see each other as often as we want. You have this handy boyfriend who can transport you halfway across the world in an instant, remember?"

"So why do you need that?" Chloe asked, indicating the plane ticket that Emily had retrieved from the bedside cabinet and was now stashing in her purse. "You know Wyatt would've orbed you if you'd asked."

"It's a symbolic thing, I suppose. I need to feel like I'm really leaving, and catching a flight on a one-way ticket seems a whole lot more permanent than a two second orb."

"So when does your cab get here?" Chloe asked, finally accepting the inevitability of her cousin's departure.

Emily glanced at her watch. "About an hour," she said, her steady resolve wavering a bit when she saw the look on the other girl's face. "Chloe, don't okay? This is hard enough as it is."

Chloe stepped forward and drew her into a tight hug. "I wish there was something I could say to make you stay," she said tearfully.

"There isn't," Emily replied sadly. "This may not be what I want, but it is the right thing, I am sure of that. I can't go on like this - and I don't want to put you and Wyatt in the middle either."

"You're not."

"Not yet maybe, but if my presence causes any more hassle for Chris and Bianca, Wyatt isn't going to remain so understanding, is he?"

"You don't know that."

"Don't I? Listen Chloe - you and Wyatt, you have something special going on, anyone with eyes can see that. I'd never forgive myself if this came between the two of you. No – me leaving is the best thing all round."

Chloe pulled back and looked her in the face. "You're not going to change your mind, are you?" she asked, her gaze steady.

Emily shook her head, her blue eyes sombre. "No, no I'm not."

"Not even if Chris…"

"He won't, Chloe. What's the point in living in a fantasy world? I've done that for far too long already."

"All right – just promise me that you'll call if you need anything."

"I will, I promise. Don't worry about me, okay? I'm a big girl now; I can take care of myself. You just concentrate on making that guy of yours even more in love with you than he already is. Don't let him slip through your fingers – he's a keeper that one."

Chloe's expression noticeably softened as the conversation turned to Wyatt. In spite of her worry over Emily, the past three weeks had been the best of her life. Wyatt's admittance of his feelings for her, and her for him, had swept away any lingering doubt that either of them had had about their relationship. The self-protective barriers had come tumbling down and they'd grown even closer as a result.

"Yeah, I know," she said in a dreamy tone, making her cousin smile. "I can't believe I got so lucky."

Emily reached out and hugged her again. "I think Wyatt's the one who got lucky," she said.

Her cousin laughed. "And you wouldn't be at all biased?"

"Well, maybe just a little…"

**OOOOOO**

Wyatt glanced at the closed door of his brother's bedroom and then down at his watch. Chloe had said Emily's cab was arriving at ten-thirty, it was ten past now - Chris was certainly dragging things out to the last minute. He decided to go and chivvy his brother along a bit. However, before he had a chance to make a move, the door opened and Chris emerged, his expression grave.

"Well?" Wyatt asked simply.

Chris hugged himself around the middle and sighed. "I can't give up on Bianca – not yet. She's been my life for two and a half years - I have to see it through to the end, whatever the outcome."

Wyatt nodded. "So – are you coming to say goodbye to Emily?" he asked.

"Yes. I know I'm probably kidding myself, but I hope we can still be friends. Family gatherings are going to be pretty awkward if we can't find some middle ground."

"Family gatherings?"

Chris grinned at his brother's puzzlement. "You are planning on having Chloe in your life for the foreseeable future, aren't you?" he asked as the two of them left their apartment and descended the stairs to the third floor.

"Of course."

"Well, in case you'd forgotten, Emily's your girl's cousin. Unless we force you and Chloe to divide your time between us, Bianca and I aren't going to able to avoid coming into contact with her at some point. I'm not prepared to drag you into our mess and I know Emily well enough to know that she'll feel the same."

"And Bianca?"

Chris grimaced. "She'll be more difficult to persuade," he admitted, "But she'll have to learn to accept it."

They'd reached Emily and Chloe's apartment door and Wyatt looked questionably over at his brother. "Ready?" he asked.

Chris nodded. "As I'll ever be," he replied as his brother pushed the doorbell to announce their presence.

Chloe opened the door a few moments later. "Hi!" she said, greeting them with a rather forced smile.

She stepped aside to let them enter, tilting her head back to accept the kiss that her boyfriend bent to bestow on her lips as he crossed the threshold. "You okay?" he asked quietly.

Chloe nodded, her violet-blue eyes reflective. "Just about."

"And Emily?"

Chloe glanced over at Chris, who had ostensibly moved further into the apartment to give them some privacy. Out of respect for both his and her cousin's confidences, she and Wyatt had not talked about the situation between them, but Chloe knew that Wyatt suspected that Emily's reasons for leaving were more complex than simply wanting to take a new job.

"She's okay – better than I thought she'd be," she said vaguely.

The subject of their conversation emerged from her room then. Although she was slightly pale, Emily seemed perfectly composed. She did start a little when she saw Chris standing there though, but quickly recovered her surprise.

"I guess this is it," she said, moving across the room to join Wyatt and Chloe. She cast a quick look at her luggage stacked neatly near the front door. "I should probably go downstairs and wait for my cab," she decided.

"I could have orbed you to the airport," Wyatt told her as he bent to pick up her suitcase.

"I know," Emily replied, "But it lacks a certain ceremony, don't you think? Being waved off in a cab is so much more dramatic – very Hollywood movie."

Wyatt chuckled. "Well if you put it that way…"

The four of them made their way down to the ground floor via the elevator, Wyatt and Chris acting the gentlemen and carrying all the bags. They then sat in silence on the chairs in the entrance hallway, positioned side by side as if they were in a doctor's waiting room, and each lost in their own individual thoughts.

A cab drew up outside approximately ten minutes later, and the driver loudly sounded his horn to attract their attention. In a flurry of activity, Emily's luggage was quickly stashed in the trunk and then it was suddenly time to say goodbye.

The first to make a move, Wyatt stooped down to give the redheaded witch a quick hug. "Good luck with everything," he said, patting her lightly on the back. "And take care of yourself, okay?"

Emily warmly returned his hug and stepped back. "I will," she said. "And you take good care of my cousin or you'll have me to answer to."

"I better be a good boy then," Wyatt quipped with a playful twinkle in his eye. "I think the wrong side of you is not somewhere I'd want to be."

Emily leaned forward and patted his forearm. "That's a very sensible course of action," she told him with mock solemnity.

Wyatt laughed and she threw a brilliant smile at him, which he warmly returned. Emily then turned towards Chris and forced herself to meet his gaze for the first time in nearly three weeks. He was regarding her with a sad, wistful expression in his green eyes, and her heart skipped a beat just like it always did when she looked up into his handsome face. Words failed her and she struggled to blink back the tears that pricked at the back of her eyelids.

Chris drew in a breath when he saw the unbidden tears well in her ocean-blue eyes. This was harder than he thought it would be. He had made his decision, but this woman had gotten under his skin, there was no denying that. He forced himself to smile down into her face before leaning forward to give her a friendly hug. Emily stiffened when his arms closed about her, but she eventually relaxed enough to return his embrace.

"Take care," he said, smoothing down her hair with his hand as she buried her face against his collarbone and wrapped her arms around his back. Emily's breath hitched in her throat before she reluctantly pulled away, her eyes still bright with tears.

"Thanks for everything," she whispered. "For helping me with my telekinesis and… and…"

Her composure failing, she broke off and dropped her gaze to her feet, biting her bottom lip in an attempt to keep her emotions in check. Not knowing why he did it, Chris wrapped his hand around the nape of her neck and kissed the top of her bent head. "I'm sorry," he murmured into her hair. "Under any other circumstances…"

He left the statement hanging and Emily nodded imperceptibly before blowing her breath out from between her lips and stepping back. Swallowing hard, she turned away from him and moved into Chloe's waiting arms. As the two girls clung to each other, Wyatt and Chris moved out of earshot to allow them to say goodbye in private.

"Are you okay?" Wyatt asked quietly.

Chris nodded, his gaze focused on the sidewalk. "It was the right thing to do."

"You sure?"

"Honestly? No, no I'm not. But I can't give up on Bianca, so this is the way it has to be."

Not knowing what to say, Wyatt placed a comforting hand on his brother's back and Chris's shoulders heaved in a despondent sigh. A few moments later, the two cousins drew apart and Emily got into the passenger seat of the cab.

"If you need anything…," Chloe said as she closed the car door.

"I'll call," Emily promised through the open window. She turned to the cab driver. "We can go now," she told him, her voice a little shaky.

Wiping away her tears, Chloe stepped back, allowing the car to pull away from the sidewalk and move off down the road. Wyatt placed his hands on her shoulders and she leaned back into him, grateful for his steady presence behind her as they bid Emily farewell. The three of them waved until the retreating cab was just a speck in the distance and then turned and headed back inside the building.

As they trouped up the staircase in silence, the shrill sound of a cell phone suddenly filled the air, making them all jump out of their skin. Fishing around in his shirt pocket, Chris removed his ringing cell and answered it.

"Hi Bianca."

Bianca said something in reply and Chris shot an uncomfortable look at Chloe before quickening his pace to get ahead of her and Wyatt.

"Yes, yes, she's gone," Chloe heard him say as he rounded the corner and vanished.

Suddenly angry – even though she knew it wasn't fair – she stalked off down the corridor towards her apartment, forcing Wyatt to run to keep up with her.

"Hey," he said, catching her around the waist as she fumbled to insert her key into the lock. "I know this isn't the best situation but it isn't anybody's fault."

"You don't understand!" Chloe burst out as she finally managed to open the door.

"Yes, yes – I do," Wyatt said, following her into the apartment.

Chloe turned to face him as he finally broached the subject that they'd been avoiding up until now. "Is there any hope for her at all?" she asked dejectedly.

Wyatt hesitated before answering. "I honestly don't know," he said. "Chris and Bianca have a lot of issues to work through. If they can resolve their differences then I would expect them to make things official…"

"And if they can't?"

"Then anything's possible, I guess. It wouldn't be fair to give Emily false hope though."

Chloe nodded. "She didn't mean to come between them, you know. She's not that kind of person."

"Yeah I know."

"And what about Chris? Does he know that too?"

"Yes, he does. Bianca however - not so much."

"Yeah well, I guess I can't really blame her for that," Chloe conceded, albeit with some reluctance.

"So she's not the Wicked Witch of the West then?"

Chloe smiled at his terminology. "No, no of course not. Don't expect her and me to be best buddies," she warned, "But I'm sure we can be civil to each other. I refuse to let this come between you and me."

"I'm glad to hear it because this is their mess not ours," Wyatt reminded her as he slipped his arms around her waist and tugged her closer.

"Exactly," Chloe said, winding her arms around his neck. "And besides Emily'd kill me – according to her, you're a keeper."

Wyatt bent close until their noses were touching in a sweet, Eskimo kiss. "And what do you think?" he murmured.

"Me? I think I'm inclined to agree," Chloe answered before he silenced her with a passionate kiss…

**OOOOOO**

"Okay – I'll see you in a bit. Bye!"

Chris shut off his phone and placed it on the coffee table with a sigh. Wandering over to the window, he pressed his fingertips against the cool glass and looked out, absently taking in the spectacular view of the city.

Bianca's glee over Emily's departure had been hard to take – although he knew she was acting out of relief rather than any real sense of malice. The problem was she seemed to think all their troubles were over now, as if Emily leaving was the miraculous cure to all that ailed their relationship.

Chris knew different though – he had done a lot of soul searching last night and had decided that they should to return to their original agreement. They needed some time and space to talk and to just enjoy each other's company again. Then, hopefully, they'd be able to see a clear way through the minefield that their relationship had become in recent months.

It hadn't been an easy decision – Bianca didn't know how close he'd gotten to turning his back on their problems and grabbing hold of the new and different future that Emily had the potential to offer him. In the end though, he'd invested too much into their relationship to walk away without giving it his best shot, and so he had chosen to stay and work things out, whether they ended up together at the end of it or not.

Of course, that meant letting Emily walk out the door because, despite the fact that he'd never do anything while he was with Bianca, she was still too much of a distraction. He'd allowed himself to grow closer to her than he should have done; he could see that now. She'd crash-landed into his life and offered him an easy way out, at a time when he'd been struggling to deal with his confused feelings about his girlfriend and their future.

He'd be doing himself and Bianca a disservice if he took that route though. It was hardly the best foundation for a new relationship either. He knew he'd made the right decision, but that didn't stop an unpleasant twinge of regret twisting his insides into knots. He was well aware that if he and Bianca didn't make it through this, he'd probably just thrown away his best chance of future happiness.

How long he stood staring blankly out the window, he didn't know; it was only when Bianca shimmered into the apartment a short while later that he finally shook off his melancholy reverie. When he didn't immediately turn to greet her, she came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Hi baby!" she murmured throatily in his ear, and then turned her head and pressed her warm lips against the skin of his neck.

"Bianca – we need to talk," he remonstrated, quickly sensing her intent.

Bianca ignored his protest and ducked under his arm, moving around to stand in front of him. "We can talk later," she told him as she purposefully began to unbutton his shirt.

Seeing the look of set determination on her face, Chris knew that she wasn't going to give in and so yielded to her persuasion, dipping his head to kiss her as she pushed the unfastened garment off his shoulders and let it drop to the floor. What did it matter anyway? They would have plenty of time to talk afterwards…

**OOOOOO**

"_Flight UA 989 to Los Angeles will be boarding in five minutes. Will all passengers please proceed to the Departure Lounge?"_

On hearing this announcement, Emily looked up from the magazine that she was turning the pages of but not really reading. Glancing over at the departure gate, she saw that the flight attendants were preparing to admit passengers on board. Rolling up her magazine, she stuffed it in the front pocket of her hand luggage, got to her feet and joined the rather disorderly queue that was forming at the desk.

She had told Wyatt earlier that it was very Hollywood movie to leave in a cab for the airport, but it had also been extremely lonely sitting there all by herself, waiting for her flight to be called. Several times in the last hour or so, she'd wished she'd let him orb her – at least then she'd have had company while she waited, and wouldn't have had so much time to dwell on her reason for leaving.

Of course, if this were a Hollywood movie, Chris would come charging into the Departure Lounge round about now amid scenes of general chaos. With a gaggle of security guards on his tail, he'd stop her just as she was about to board the plane and beg her to stay while the surrounding public cheered and clapped.

Emily was under no such illusion though as the gate finally opened and the crowd of passengers surged forward, jostling with each other to be first aboard. Handing her boarding pass to the attendant, she cast one look behind her at San Francisco and then headed down the gangway to her new life in LA…

_**The End! **_

**_Only joking! I really mean:_**

**_To be continued… _**

However, there will be a longer break than normal before I update this story again. I've been seriously neglecting my other fanfic so I'm going to put some work into that. I'm also going on holiday for a week, which will limit my time for writing.

* * *

**Re: Victorious Light – **actually, I'm glad you feel sorry for Bianca – I never wanted to make her the villain of the piece. This story is supposed to be about people struggling with their emotions and trying to do the right thing, hence Emily actually leaving and Chris making the decision that he did. 

This plot twist has been part of the overall storyline right from the beginning, as I wanted to do something a little bit different from a normal love triangle story. I thought I'd inadvertently written myself out of it several chapters ago though – it seemed illogical that Emily would leave at that point. That caused me a few headaches because a couple of other plot issues rely on her going to LA! Luckily for me though, I somehow seem to have arrived back at where I originally planned to be at this stage of the story.

So onwards and upwards…

CharmedBec xx


	21. New Beginnings

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hello to one and all! New update for you. Note the time jump at the start of this chapter: it'll explain the shift in tone that occurs during this part.

Thanks for the reviews, replies to individual ones at the end of the chapter.

**

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Chapter 21 **

**_Seven months later, Los Angeles…_**

Emily emerged from the subway into the bright sunlight, blinking rapidly as the yellow glare hit the back of her retinas. Once her vision had cleared, she continued on her way down the street, heading towards the small Italian restaurant that was her intended destination.

The previous seven months had been a rollercoaster ride of topsy-turvy emotions and experiences for her. Her first eight weeks in LA had easily been the most miserable of her life, but she had finally found peace within herself in the last couple of months. She'd even had a brief fling with a guy she'd met at her local grocery store, which had done wonders for her self-confidence. After much soul-searching, she was eventually ready to move on and put her unhappy experience with Chris behind her.

To her surprise, she found that she enjoyed her new job, which helped matters enormously. The promotion to Junior Office Manager offered much more of a challenge than her previous role, and helping to establish a successful new office had given her a real sense of personal achievement.

Wyatt had put her in touch with a small group of young witches he knew here in LA as well, so she'd been able to keep up her magical activities too. He also regularly orbed in himself when he needed a particularly potent potion brewing up, and her potion making skills had improved in leaps and bounds as a result. All in all her new life was going rather better than expected.

However, while she had stayed in constant touch with Chloe and Wyatt, she'd had virtually no contact with Chris at all. They had only come face-to-face once since she'd left for LA - during a brief, but memorable visit home three months ago.

Chloe had persuaded her to come to San Francisco to go shopping that day, rather than having Wyatt orb her to LA as was the norm. The two women had met Chris and Bianca coming out of Frankie's coffee shop, just as they were going in, and to say the situation had been awkward was an understatement. Emily hadn't visited San Francisco since and Chloe hadn't attempted to persuade her otherwise either. They had both decided that the situation was best left alone – at least until Bianca stopped viewing Emily as the ultimate femme fatale anyway.

Right now, courtesy of Wyatt's extraordinary taxi service, the two cousins were meeting for a gossipy lunch at one of Emily's favourite restaurants in LA. They'd not seen each other in over three weeks now, and consequently had a lot to catch up on, especially as Chloe had been unusually reticent on the phone recently.

Her cousin's taciturn behaviour had initially caused Emily some concern, but she hadn't been able to detect any real unhappiness in Chloe's voice when she'd spoken to her last night, so could only assume that she must have been tired or a bit under the weather before. Whatever the problem was, she'd find out soon enough anyway. So, on arriving at the restaurant, she pushed aside her disquiet and went to announce her presence to the maitre d'.

"Ahh yes, reservation in the name of Hargreaves – table for three."

Emily shook her head. "No, it should only be for two," she contradicted.

"A woman rang and changed that booking a few days ago," a young waitress told them as she walked past, a trio of plates balanced precariously on her arm. "I remember taking the call."

"Oh! Right... umm, I suppose that must have been my cousin." Emily said with a puzzled frown. "I guess she forgot to tell me about it."

"Do you want to wait for your companions before ordering?" the headwaiter enquired politely as he showed her to her table in the pleasant alfresco dining area.

Emily nodded. "Can you just bring me a glass of orange juice for now please?"

"Of course, madam."

For the next few minutes, Emily sat quietly perusing the menu and sipping at her drink, all the while wondering why Chloe had changed the booking without telling her. She assumed her cousin must be bringing Wyatt along, but why all the secrecy? None of it made any sense. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the arrival of her guests until they were standing right in front of her.

"Hey!" Chloe said brightly.

Emily quickly looked up and any worries she had about her cousin's state of mind immediately flew out the window. There was nothing wrong with Chloe, quite the opposite in fact - she was positively glowing. Emily's gaze shifted to Wyatt, who was standing alongside his girlfriend, a broad grin splitting his handsome face almost in two.

"Okay, so what's going on?" she demanded suspiciously as she rose to her feet to greet them. "What's with all the cloak and dagger stuff?"

Chloe exchanged a brief look with Wyatt and then thrust out her left hand with a dramatic flourish. It didn't take Emily long to spot the diamond sparkling on the third finger and she lifted her questioning gaze to her cousin's beaming face. Chloe nodded in confirmation, her eyes shining with happiness and Emily moved forward to give her a delighted hug.

"Oh my God! Congratulations! I'm so happy for you both."

"I hope you don't mind me gate-crashing your girly lunch," Wyatt said as she released Chloe and enthusiastically threw her arms around him.

Emily laughed. "I think you're forgiven just this once," she said as they sat down. "So, when did this happen?"

"Umm – two weeks ago," Chloe admitted contritely.

"WHAT?"

"I know, I know, but I wanted to tell you in person – only you were really busy at work, so this was the first time…"

"But Mom never said a word when she visited last week," Emily interrupted. "You have told your parents, haven't you?" she asked as an afterthought

"Of course we have, but I swore Aunt Bella and Uncle David to secrecy until I had a chance to tell you myself."

"So this is why you've been so quiet on the phone recently," Emily mused.

Wyatt laughed at that. "I think she was afraid to speak in case she let the cat out the bag," he said with a grin. "She's been absolutely itching to tell you."

"Chloe," Emily remonstrated teasingly. "You could have done, you know."

"I know but this way is so much better – I mean we can order champagne now."

"And you can show off the ring," Emily prompted, holding out her hand to get a better look.

Chloe willingly obliged and Emily carefully studied the ring on her cousin's finger. It consisted of a single square-cut diamond solitaire set into a delicate white-gold band. It was neither too small, nor too ostentatious. It was just perfect in fact. "It's beautiful," she declared. "Did you choose it?"

Her cousin shook her head. "No, Wyatt did. It's gorgeous isn't it?"

"I did have a little help from my Aunt Paige," Wyatt admitted. "I'm not that confident about my jewellery choosing ability. I definitely required a second opinion – well third if you count Chris, but he's worse at it than I am so…" he left his statement hanging.

"Why your Aunt Paige?" Emily asked curiously.

"Because Aunt Phoebe can't keep a secret to save her life. And Mom – well, you don't ask your mother to help choose your future wife's engagement ring, do you?"

Emily grinned. "Not as a rule, no. Although, I can't imagine your Mom being the mother-in-law from hell like some might be."

"You wanna bet?" Wyatt asked and then laughed when his fiancée punched him hard on the arm. "Only joking – she adores Chloe. I don't think we'll have much problem there."

"So have you set a date yet?"

"The 2nd of September."

Emily's eyes widened. "But that's only four months from now! Are you going to be able to organise everything in time?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "You sound like Mom; she's on about getting me a wedding planner of all things. They'll be more than enough time, provided everyone does their bit. We don't want a huge wedding anyway and I certainly don't want some stranger organising it. I want that special personal touch - which is why I was hoping you'd take that transfer back to San Francisco when it comes up. I know they asked you to stay on in LA for an extra couple of months, but that time is nearly up now, isn't it?"

"Yes but…," Emily trailed off and stared at her cousin in consternation.

She hadn't really decided what she was going to do about transferring back to San Francisco to be honest. She was in half a mind to stay here in LA - she didn't hate it after all, and it seemed so much simpler than having to deal with the inevitable fallout back home. While she might be ready to move on with her life, that didn't mean that her feelings for Chris had completely disappeared; she was just better emotionally equipped to deal with them now.

"I don't know, Chloe. I hadn't…," she started to say and then stopped when a sudden thought occurred to her.

It wasn't as if she didn't want to share in her cousin's happiness. They'd been planning make believe weddings for each other ever since they were little girls. Now that it was finally time to organise the real thing, she wanted to be involved in the arrangements.

While Emily hesitated in confusion, Chloe threw a pointed look at Wyatt, who instantly took the hint and excused himself to go to the bathroom. "It's not going to be as bad as you think," Chloe said after he'd left.

"Chloe, it's not like I don't want to. It's just…"

"Chris and Bianca split up."

Emily's head snapped up and she stared at her cousin incredulously. "What? When?"

"About three weeks ago."

"But how? I thought you said things got better between them after I left."

"They did. No one was more shocked than I was when they broke up. It's not like me and Wyatt ever spent a lot of time with them as couple – it was always a bit awkward, you know – but they always seemed fine to me."

"Maybe it's just a temporary thing…"

Chloe shook her head. "No – Wyatt's convinced that it's over for good. And I met Bianca at the mall last week and she was talking that way too. I'm sorry, I wasn't quite sure how to tell you, and then Wyatt proposed and suddenly I was keeping two secrets from you. It all kind of spiralled out of control."

Still stunned by this unexpected development, Emily sat back in her chair. "Well, I can't come back now, can I?" she said.

"Why not?"

"How will it look?"

"It'll look like you've come back to help your cousin organise her wedding," Chloe said irritably. "Come on, Emily – everyone knows that this job offer came with the option of returning to San Francisco at some point. The only people that know there was more to it are you, me, Wyatt, Chris and Bianca."

"And probably half of Bianca's friends," Emily pointed out.

"Her best friend Sarah maybe, but no others if you ask me. From what I saw, she didn't like to admit that she and Chris had problems to anyone."

"It's still going to look bad."

"So what? What does it matter? You'd be a fool if you don't take your chance now."

"Chloe!"

"Emily, I know you – you might have found a way to deal with things, but your feelings haven't really gone away, have they?"

Unable to deny it, Emily shook her head.

"A nurse in the hospital after my accident said something to me that I've never forgotten," Chloe continued. "She told me that 'you have to take your chances in life, because you'll never know what you've missed out on if you don't.' I think that's good advice - it's what made me follow Wyatt to San Francisco and now look at us. All right, so you might get your heart broken again, but rather that than not taking the risk and always wondering what if."

"You make it sound so straightforward."

"Because it is. Look, I don't mean you should come back and immediately make a pass at him or anything – that would definitely be crass. But if you're hundreds of miles away here in LA, he's never going to look in your direction, is he? Just be around, Emily – be his friend again. Let things happen naturally. If they don't, then they don't, but at least you'll know."

Emily sighed and shook her head. "I don't know, Chloe. I've just got myself back on an even keel – I don't want to go through all that again."

"How long is it before you have to make a final decision about the transfer?"

"Four weeks."

"Then you don't have to make up your mind straightaway, do you? Take your time; think about it properly. We're having an engagement party next Saturday – see how you feel after that. Just promise me you won't dismiss the idea out of hand just because you're afraid of getting hurt again."

"All right, I'll think about it," Emily said, finally giving into her cousin's persuasion.

Chloe smiled encouragingly at her. "Good - now how about we order that champagne? We have something to celebrate, remember?"

Emily grinned back. "Well I'm not likely to forget when you're flashing that rock on your finger at every available opportunity, am I?" she said teasingly.

"Shut it you," Chloe said, slapping her cousin lightly on the back of the hand in playful censure. "It's my ring; I can show it off any time I want. Stop trying to spoil my fun."

Emily laughed and waved the waiter over so that they could order. Wyatt rejoined them at the table a few moments later.

"Sorry but if I hang around the bathroom much longer, I'm going to start getting funny looks," he said as he sat down.

Chloe rolled her eyes in exasperation. "As you can see, my fiancé hasn't quite learned the art of subtlety yet," she remarked to her cousin, and Emily giggled despite her underlying embarrassment.

Wyatt smiled at her, his blue eyes holding a hint of an apology, and Emily relaxed. There wasn't any point pretending that he didn't know what they'd been talking about – he'd given them the privacy that they needed and that was enough.

The rest of the celebratory lunch passed in an enjoyable mixture of laughter and animated conversation. Both Wyatt and Chloe were in buoyant, happy moods and Emily was struck by how in tune with each other they were. They could hardly keep their eyes off each other, she noted with a smile. The first flush of new love may have faded somewhat, but a stronger, deeper connection had developed in its wake, making their closeness plain for all to see.

Wyatt's intensely private nature did translate itself into how they behaved towards one another in public though. They were not undemonstrative, but they weren't all over each other either. The occasional handholding and the odd peck on the lips was about as far as they went.

Emily had noticed this about Wyatt before – while happy enough to show his feelings in front of his family and close friends, around strangers and people he didn't know so well, he was much more wary. Given his unwanted celebrity status, she thought that she could understand why. With his every move constantly scrutinised, he must sometimes feel like a bug under a microscope. Was it any wonder that he wanted to keep his private life away from all those prying eyes?

All too soon, the lunch was over and she was bidding the happy couple farewell. Emily didn't know why, but sharing in their joy over their engagement had made her realise how much she missed living in San Francisco. Her cousin had seemingly gone from being newly in love, to being ready to make a lifetime commitment in a blink of an eye. In reality though, seven long months had passed – it was just that Emily hadn't been around to witness them.

Here in LA, she was cut off from the people she cared about the most and, while she was not unhappy, she wasn't truly content either. The question was – could she handle being around Chris again? He may have split from Bianca, but that was no guarantee that he would look her way in spite of his parting words to her. And even if he did, how would she know whether his feelings were genuine or not? Being his rebound fling was definitely not on her wish list – it would be worse than the situation that had driven her away from San Francisco in the first place.

And yet she missed him – his friendship more than anything else strangely enough. She hadn't fully appreciated that part of their relationship until she'd left. It had been so overwhelmed by the gnawing ache of her unrequited feelings, that she'd been unable to value it for what it was. However, now that she could look at things in a more objective light, she could see that it had been the strongest tie between them.

As she wandered back down the street towards the subway station, Chloe's words from earlier came back to her…

'_Just be around, Emily – be his friend again. Let things happen naturally. If they don't, then they don't, but at least you'll know.'_

She would talk to Chris at Wyatt and Chloe's engagement party, she decided. Find out how the land lay between them before making a decision about returning. Her cousin was right - at least she'd know. And they might still be able to salvage a friendship out of all this mess, even if she did have to relinquish the hope of something more.

**OOOOOO**

_**LA, three days later…**_

Responding to an urgent phone call from her friend Samantha, Emily took the stairs two at a time and knocked sharply on the door of the first-floor apartment. Samantha's roommate, April answered it and Emily was quickly ushered inside.

"Emily – great you're here," Samantha said, waving her over to where she was standing at the kitchen counter, an open spell book in front of her and a confused expression on her pretty face. "I can't make any sense of this potion…"

"And we have a nest of Squatter Demons to vanquish," Samantha's older brother, Martin interjected from where he was sitting at the kitchen table with his best mate, Daniel and his girlfriend, Shelley.

These five were Emily's closest friends here in LA. Warm and friendly, they had quickly welcomed her into their little group after Wyatt had introduced them. Martin, Daniel and Shelley had all gone to Magic School with Wyatt, while Samantha had been in the same grade as Chris.

April, although a witch, had not attended Magic School, much to her obvious vexation. "My parents wanted me to go to a 'normal' school," she'd told Emily on the day that they'd first met. She had been close friends with Samantha for years however, and made up for her lack of magical education with brains and enthusiasm.

Emily felt a certain empathy with April, having not attended Magic School either; a happenstance that she had first assumed was due to her father's intolerant attitude towards her mother's magical heritage. Hearing her new friends reminisce about their school days did make her wonder why Chloe hadn't gone either though.

"Maybe your Aunt and Uncle didn't know about it," Shelley suggested when Emily voiced this thought one evening over dinner. "Not everyone does, you know. It's become much more well-known since Wyatt and Chris graduated, but it's still unheard of in some parts, even today."

Emily nodded, belatedly realising that she'd been in college the first time she'd heard mention of Magic School. Shelley must be right – Chloe would have surely said something if she'd known about it before then.

Back in the present, she pulled the spell-book towards her and skim read the ingredients and associated instructions. "Okay, it looks easy enough," she said, causing the others to break out in laughter. "What?"

"Oh yeah – it's easy," Daniel said sarcastically. "That's why we've been trying to decipher it for over an hour now."

Emily felt a little thrill of pride. She spent a lot of the time feeling distinctly inadequate magically, but this was something she could do. She remembered Leo saying that genuine potion-making was a skill that came from within, not one that was learnt, and that was certainly true in her case. What looked like complicated gobbledegook to others was clear as day to her, a twist of fate that was perfectly illustrated by this potion recipe.

Ignoring her friend's sly grins, Emily started weighing out the ingredients for the potion. "What are Squatter Demons anyway?" she asked as she worked.

"Exactly what they sound like," Martin replied. "Demons that squat."

"Which tells me like - nothing."

"They infest empty apartments," Martin clarified. "And cause all sorts of domestic problems for the tenants of any occupied apartments in the same block. Residents tend to call a plumber or pest control – not that it does them any good. A friend of mine at work was telling me about the problems he's been having with his landlord. It sounded familiar so I went to check it out – the nasty little critters were having a regular party in there."

"So you've dealt with them before?" Emily asked.

"Yeah – a few years ago."

"So why are you having trouble with the vanquishing potion then?"

"Umm – because Wyatt made it last time and I didn't pay attention," Martin replied with unashamed aplomb, as a sharp rap on the door echoed through the apartment.

Samantha went to answer it, and Emily nearly spilled a whole bottle of foul-smelling bat's bile down her front when she heard her friend's subsequent exclamation.

"Oh my god, Chris! I've not seen you for like - ever. Come in, come in."

The others got to their feet and went through into the other room to greet their old school friend. Emily stayed in the kitchen however, ostensibly hard at work on the potion, but in reality desperately trying to compose herself.

"So – what brings you to sunny LA?" she heard Daniel ask.

"Magic School business," Chris replied. "There's a young girl living here who would benefit from attending. Dad sent me on a PR trip to persuade her and her parents that it's a good idea. I thought that maybe one of the girls could come and meet them with me, so I won't appear so daunting."

"Yeah – cus you're a really scary guy," Shelley teased.

Despite her agitated confusion, Emily had to smile at that. Chris was one of the most genial people she knew. The thought that he could frighten anybody if he wasn't specifically trying to was simply ludicrous.

"With my surname, I might be to a five year old girl and her worried parents," Chris pointed out.

"Well, I'd love to help," Shelley replied, "But after we've dealt with the Squatter Demons, I've got to get back to work before my boss fires my ass."

"Me too," April said.

"And I'm supposed to be meeting Mom," Samantha finished. "I bet Emily'll go with you though – she's got the day off today."

There was a noticeable pause and then Chris asked hesitantly, "Emily?"

"Yeah – she's in the kitchen making the vanquishing potion. Come through and say hello."

"Okay Em – cool, calm, collected," Emily coached herself under her breath as she listened to the approaching footsteps. A few seconds later, she found herself face-to-face with Chris for the first time in months.

"Hi!" she said, somehow managing to produce a genuine smile of greeting despite her jitters.

"Hi!" Chris smiled back and Emily relaxed a little. 'Okay, first hurdle over,' she thought to herself. 'That wasn't too bad.'

"Did you hear all that?" Samantha asked, gesturing towards the other room. Emily nodded.

"So, you'll go along right?"

"Umm – yeah, I guess," Emily agreed reluctantly, unable to think of a legitimate reason why not.

"And when you're done, you've got to come back here for dinner so we can all catch up," Samantha ploughed on, completely oblivious to the frisson of tension in the room. "It's been ages. Bianca won't mind if we steal you away from her for one evening, will she?"

Emily froze in the act of adding a spoonful of Burdock root to her potion.

"Umm no, I don't think so," Chris replied, "Especially considering we split up last month."

A ripple of shocked surprise ran around the occupants of the room at that.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Samantha stuttered clumsily. "Geez! Me and my big mouth."

"Don't worry about it, you didn't know."

"Yes but… Are you okay?"

Chris sighed. "I've been better but yeah, I'm okay. It was…," he paused to think about it for a moment, "The right thing," he eventually concluded.

Samantha nodded dumbly, stunned into uncharacteristic silence by this unexpected revelation.

"A change of the super awkward subject might be in order," Chris prompted with a tight, ironic smile.

"Oh right, yeah," Samantha flustered, "So, umm... brilliant news about Wyatt and Chloe's engagement huh?"

Emily cringed, not entirely certain this was the best subject to bring up in front of someone who had just come out of a long-term relationship.

Chris's face however, split into a broad, genuine smile at the observation. "Yeah, it's great," he concurred.

"That's gotta upset the living arrangements," Daniel remarked with a mischievous wink.

"If you mean, am I getting kicked out?" Chris replied good-naturedly, "Then yeah – I'm afraid so."

"He didn't just tell you to leave?" Shelley exclaimed in wide-eyed shock.

Chris laughed and shook his head. "Me and Chloe are going to switch apartments," he explained. "She'll move in with Wyatt and I'll move downstairs to her place."

Emily's potion popped and she jumped back as it emitted a puff of bright orange smoke. Once the tangerine cloud had dissipated, she peered down into the small cauldron and was satisfied to note that the previously lumpy concoction was now a clear, yellow liquid.

"Okay, I think this is ready," she announced as she started syringing the potion into the waiting line of little glass bottles.

Once she was done, her friends grabbed a handful each, and then started to make preparations to leave.

"You need any help?" Chris asked.

"Nah – I think we've got it covered," Martin said. "You an' Emily go and do your school recruitment thing."

"Dinner here – seven-thirty," Samantha called back over her shoulder as she headed towards the door, with Shelley and April on her heels.

"They do know what happens when Squatter Demons are vanquished, don't they?" Chris leaned forward to ask Daniel and Martin.

The two men exchanged wide grins. "No and we weren't planning on telling them either," Daniel replied with a wicked glint in his eye.

"I'm guessing this isn't something I should be overhearing," Emily said, with one eyebrow raised towards the ceiling.

"Us boys gotta have some fun," Martin told her cryptically. "We'll let Chris explain to you exactly how much."

"Thanks," Chris's voice was loaded with a heavy amount of sarcasm.

"Don't mention it," Martin said airily. "We'll see you later."

As the door closed behind their friends, Emily turned to Chris. "So what does happen when Squatter Demons are vanquished?" she asked.

In answer, Chris turned over the page of her spell-book and silently pointed to the paragraph at the bottom.

"Be careful to stand well back," she read out loud, "Because a Squatter Demon will violently eject its entire stomach contents on vanquishing. Eew! That's so gross!"

"I assure you the reality is more disgusting than you could possibly imagine."

Emily laughed; she couldn't help it, in spite of the fate that was awaiting her three, unsuspecting friends. "Martin and Daniel are so dead."

Chris grinned. "Yeah well, they're braver than me, that's for sure."

Emily smiled back at him and then glanced away, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. "Look, I know Samantha steamrollered you into this – I don't have to come with you if you don't want me to."

"Emily…"

"I know I made things difficult for you and Bianca, and I…"

"Emily!"

"W-what?"

"You are not responsible for what happened between Bianca and I, okay? And… and as for you and me – I… I missed… well, us and our talks."

"Me too," Emily confessed in a tiny whisper.

"I never wanted it to be this way, you know, but things were so messed up and something had to give."

Emily nodded – back then he had had to put Bianca first. It hurt, but she understood that he didn't have much of a choice. "And now?" she found the courage to ask.

Chris didn't answer straightaway and she almost stopped breathing as a result.

"Now… well things are definitely different," he said. "I want us to be friends again, only…"

He stopped and looked up, allowing Emily to read the rest of his answer in his steady gaze. 'Please don't ask for anything more from me right now,' his eyes seemed to say, and she let out her breath in a rush, realising something that she should have already known.

Chris wasn't going to play games with her and her fragile emotions; he just wasn't the type. He wouldn't offer anything more than friendship unless he was absolutely sure. And right now, he was trying to tell her that he wasn't - he was still adjusting to the breakdown of his relationship with Bianca and that was going to take some time to come to terms with.

But that was okay, because all she really wanted to know was whether he was happy for them to be part of each other's lives again. She'd done a lot of thinking over the past few days, and had quickly come to the conclusion that she could not go back to San Francisco if Chris was going to be all stilted and horribly polite around her. If she was ever going to be comfortable living back home again, she needed there to be some semblance of friendship between them at the very least.

"I want us to be friends again too," she said, quietly accepting the offered olive branch.

Chris acknowledged her unspoken understanding with a brief smile and a satisfied nod of his head. "Good," he said, climbing down from the stool that he'd been sitting on. "Shall we get going then?"

Inclining her head in agreement, Emily moved out from behind the kitchen counter and followed him through into the living room, feeling a wave of relief pass through her at having successfully navigated the emotional minefield of their first real conversation in months.

It buoyed her confidence and reinforced her newly established inner emotional strength. She was determined that, this time around, she would go into this with her eyes wide open and no false expectations weighing her down. If it happened, then it happened. If it didn't, then so be it - at least they'd always be friends…

**_To be continued…_**

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**Notes 2:** Re: the time-jump – I realise it might have been a bit of a jolt, but I didn't want Wyatt and Chloe to get engaged after only a few weeks together, and I didn't want Chris and Bianca's break-up to be quick and easy either. Emily leaving was always meant to be the big turning point in this story. However, I am planning to fill in various missing blanks as the story goes on, so don't worry you will get to know some of the details, I promise! This is not the last we've heard of Bianca, I assure you...

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**Re:Charmed Clover** – I'd not really considered a Chloe/Bianca scene but it would be quite fun. Maybe I'll add in a flashback!

**Re: hazza123:** The end of chapter 20 was the halfway point in my original story plan. However, I have a big tendency to slip in 'added extras' whilst I'm writing. This is because inspiration often doesn't strike until I'm in the thick of things. I've added a lot more than usual to the 1st half of this story so I imagine we're well over halfway now. I can't say for sure but I think it will be about 30-35 chapters long.

**Re: Nubilina** – nice to hear from you again. Hope your computer's all mended now.

**Re: Victorious Light** – I've really enjoyed writing the brother's relationship in this. I've explored their connection a lot more than I originally intended to because of that, and I think (hope!) the story has been better for it.

**Re: Faith-charmer** – glad you enjoyed that line in Chapter 16. I was particularly proud of that one :-)


	22. Decision Time

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hiya! New chapter for you. Hope you enjoy.

Thanks for all the reviews – 21 for the last part - a top score for this story :-) Replies to individual questions at the end.

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Chapter 22

**_LA, later that same afternoon..._**

Chris sat quietly next to Emily on the rattling subway train; a thousand thoughts chasing each other around inside his head like a dog would its own tail. The carriage they were sitting in was almost empty, save for a couple of smart-suited businessmen reading newspapers, and a college student snoozing in the seat in the corner, his head lolling against the window and his rhythmic breath misting up the grimy glass as he snored.

They'd chosen this method of transport for two reasons – firstly, because they had to wait until school was out before approaching the young girl and her parents about Magic School. And secondly, because every so often, Chris was struck by the strong desire to use public transport rather than orb himself to wherever he wanted to go.

Today had proved to be such a day and Emily had laughed at his childlike enthusiasm as he bought their tickets, inserted them one after the other through the barrier, and then waited excitedly on the platform for the approaching train. However, whereas normally he would be looking around the carriage like a kid in a candy store, relishing the novelty of this rather sedate mode of travel, today Chris found himself somewhat distracted by other charms. Despite his best efforts, his gaze kept wandering to the young woman sitting demurely beside him, one slim ankle crossed over the other and her entwined hands resting calmly in her lap.

When his father had sent him on this assignment to LA, it had been in the back of his mind that he might bump into Emily, but he hadn't really expected to. It had therefore come as a shock when he'd seen her standing behind the counter in Samantha's kitchen earlier that afternoon. Apart from a couple of very stilted conversations on the phone and one horrendously awkward meeting, they hadn't seen or spoken to each other in months, a happenstance that filled him with sorry regret even though he knew that letting her go had been a necessary evil at the time.

Seven months had passed since Emily had left San Francisco for LA though, and she seemed subtly different to him somehow. She was much more relaxed in her own skin for instance, more sure of herself and her place in the world. Her image had undergone something of a makeover too - her previously shoulder-length red hair was now styled into a choppy, chin-length bob, while her clothing seemed to reflect this change in look.

Her outfit today was simplicity itself – a turquoise top with thin spaghetti straps, kitten-heeled pointy-toed shoes and a pair of figure-hugging blue denim jeans. Nevertheless, the whole ensemble had been put together and accessorised with a flair that she hadn't possessed before, making her seem less like the girl next door and more like a young, sophisticated woman of the city.

To be perfectly honest, Chris wasn't quite sure what to make of the transformation that seven months in LA had wrought in his friend. Even though she was still as approachable and friendly as ever, there was an unknown quality to Emily now, and it was this mysterious extra something that kept drawing his eye time and time again, as the train trundled along on its leisurely journey across the city.

"Do I have dirt on my nose or something?" Emily finally enquired, when he turned to look at her for perhaps the tenth time in as many minutes.

Startled out of his reverie, Chris jumped, embarrassed at being caught staring. "No, umm… you've had your hair cut," he said, seizing on the first thing that came to mind to explain away his behaviour.

"And you've only just noticed?" Emily asked archly, unconsciously raising her hand to her shorter locks.

"Yeah well, I'm a man," Chris told her with a distinctly roguish grin. "It takes time for us to register that kind of thing you know."

Emily laughed. "Yeah, so I've observed on many occasions," she said with a telling roll of her eyes. "So anyway – about this girl we're going to see…"

"Leah Preston."

"Right – what's her story?"

"She's a young witch with one very out of control power," Chris explained in a low voice to prevent the other occupants of the train from overhearing their conversation. "Unfortunately, her parents don't have any active powers to speak of."

"But they are practising witches?" Emily asked.

"Yes but magic had always been something of a sideline for them, rather than a major part of their lives. That all changed when their daughter was born though."

"And now they're struggling to cope with her?" Emily guessed.

Chris nodded. "Yes, but then I think any parent would - powerful witch or not. You see, every witches' power is linked to their emotions in some way, but Leah's is doubly so. When she gets upset or angry, all hell breaks loose. She's already exposed magic several times without meaning to. That's how Dad got to know about her - the Cleaners came to see whether we could do something to help her before they had to take more drastic action."

"You mean erase her from existence?" Emily said, remembering the story that Wyatt had told her and Chloe a few days after her cousin's near fatal car accident - the one where the Cleaners had removed his baby self from reality because he'd orbed a dragon out of a TV set.

Chris nodded. "If we can teach her how to control her power properly, then hopefully that won't be necessary."

"So what is her power?" Emily asked curiously.

"Well, let's just say that she has this rather unfortunate tendency to blow things up – usually with little or no warning."

"You mean she has the same power as your Mom?"

"Yes and no," Chris answered. "Leah's power only works on inanimate objects. She can't vanquish things like Mom can. If she'd been able to do that, half her Kindergarten Class would have disappeared without a trace by now."

"Poor thing – she must be one scared little girl," Emily observed, warm sympathy apparent in her voice.

Chris nodded his agreement. "Yeah and I imagine her parents must be pretty afraid too," he went on. "I mean they must know the consequences if they can't teach her how to control her power. That's why I thought it best if I took someone less… well, famous... along with me today. My family's reputation kind of goes before me and I don't want to frighten them off before I've even had a chance to talk to them."

"So you think that if you show them that an ordinary, everyday witch like me is not too intimidated to be in the same room as you, you'll come across as a little less threatening?"

"I'd hardly call you ordinary, Emily, but that's the general idea, yeah."

Before Emily could reply to that however, the train came to an abrupt standstill with such a jolt that it almost toppled them both out of their seats. "I think that means this is our stop," Emily said ruefully as she righted herself.

Once they were out of the subway and back on the street above, Chris bent his head over the map he'd brought with him. "I think they live about four blocks from here," he said.

"We've still got some time to kill before they'll be home though," he added, glancing at his watch to check the time. He indicated an inviting-looking coffee shop across the street. "How about we get a coffee and a snack first?"

Emily nodded her agreement and so they crossed the road and entered the café, joining the queue of people waiting at the counter to order. After buying a cappuccino and muffin each, they settled themselves on a large, comfortable sofa in the back corner of the small restaurant.

Sipping at his drink, Chris looked on as Emily sliced her banana and chocolate muffin into quarters and lifted one of the sections to her mouth to eat. As she took her first bite, she glanced his way and blushed rosily when she him watching her again. Aware that his continual scrutiny was probably making her feel uncomfortable, Chris reluctantly dragged his eyes away from her addictive countenance.

He should have expected this, he supposed. The faint pull of attraction that he had always felt towards her was bound to take on a new dimension now that he was free to pursue it. While that was all fine and good on one level, he still didn't think it was very sensible to plunge headlong into a new relationship, when the dying embers of the previous one had barely even gone out though. He owed it himself - and more importantly, to Emily – to take his time and be sure. Small baby steps, that was the way forward now. He needed to get a grip and not push things too fast, too soon.

Emily meanwhile, was striving hard to ignore the excited fluttering in her stomach. She wasn't stupid, she could see that Chris was looking at her in a new light, but she was determined not to get carried away and let her heart rule her head as she had done before. She tried to think about something else in an attempt to distract herself. Unfortunately, this only brought another, equally provocative subject to mind and hence didn't really solve the problem.

The truth was, she was burning with curiosity about what had triggered Chris's recent break-up with Bianca, despite knowing how wholly inappropriate the question would be if she dared to ask it. According to Chloe, the couple's split had come completely out of the blue, and that ambiguity fired Emily's innate inquisitiveness beyond rhyme or reason.

There was another, more selfish motivation behind her desire to know of course. She would not be anyone's consolation prize, no matter how strongly attracted to them she was. For her own peace of mind, she needed to be sure that this was not the case here. Her sense of propriety was never going to allow her to raise the delicate subject herself however. She would just have to wait and hope that Chris volunteered the information at some point instead.

"So, umm, are you coming to Wyatt and Chloe's engagement party on Saturday?" Chris asked conversationally, breaking the slightly awkward silence that had descended over the two of them.

"Yeah, of course. Do you know who's going to be there? I forgot to ask Chloe on Monday."

"I think it's mainly a family thing, but I know they've invited a few close friends as well. They've decided to hold it at the Manor though - to deter any would-be gatecrashers. The world and his wife usually turn up if there's a rumour of a party at our place."

Emily nodded, understanding why that precaution was necessary. Being who they were, Wyatt and Chris attracted their fair share of unwanted sycophantic attention – speaking of which... "I suppose Allison's in mourning?" she asked with a smile, referring to Wyatt's rather persistent female admirer.

Chris grimaced. "I wish," he said in a long-suffering tone. "She seems to have turned her attention to me now that Wyatt's permanently spoken for."

"I bet Bianca just loves that," Emily said without thinking. "Oh god! I'm sorry," she exclaimed, clapping her hands over her mouth as she realised her blunder.

Chris surprised her by laughing. "I see you're still afflicted with foot-in-mouth disease," he noted wryly.

"Mmm - I'm pretty sure it's an incurable condition," Emily quipped, relieved that he'd not taken her careless slip of the tongue the wrong way.

"Wyatt and Chloe's engagement must have been rough on you and Bianca though," she went on, unable to contain herself. "Their timing wasn't exactly the best, was it?"

"Of course that's non of my business," she added, instantly embarrassed by her prying. She looked away. It didn't matter how much she wanted to know; it wasn't an excuse to poke her nose into his private affairs.

"No, I think that maybe it is," Chris said slowly.

Emily swung back to face him, her eyes widening in astonished disbelief. What did he mean?

"If we're going to continue to be friends then you should know the truth," he went on. "If I've learnt one thing over the past year, then it's that honesty's the best policy. You're going to find out what happened anyway, and I'd rather you didn't have a second-hand, and quite probably wildly inaccurate account from someone else."

Stunned into silence, Emily merely nodded her assent. She hadn't expected him to confide in her willingly about this - not when the subject was such an inflammatory one where the two of them were concerned. However, perhaps that was point. With the possibility of something more than friendship hovering tantalisingly over their heads, maybe he, like her, didn't want there to be any further misunderstanding between them.

"Although I loved Bianca, I always had this nagging sense of doubt about it all," Chris began, looking contemplatively down into his cup of coffee as he spoke. "The trouble was, I didn't understand where those misgivings were coming from – it wasn't as if my feelings for her weren't genuine, you see. And then Wyatt told me he was going to propose to Chloe and suddenly it all sort of clicked into place."

While Chris paused to take a gulp of his drink and a bite out of his muffin, Emily tried to process what she was hearing. She didn't know why, but when she'd first heard about them splitting up, she'd automatically assumed that Bianca had been the one to end things. Yet, from the way Chris was talking, it sounded as though this assumption was completely wide of the mark.

"He was so sure, you see," Chris continued. "There was no doubt in his mind whatsoever. It was never a case of 'if '- he already knew Chloe was the one. The only question marks hanging over his head were 'when' and 'how' to ask her."

Emily felt a warm, relieved glow at that. Not that she'd actually experienced any real doubt over Wyatt's sincerity of course, but it was nice to hear confirmation of it all the same.

"My parents have that too," Chris carried on. "They just know that they're right for each other. I suppose because I've grown up around it and seen my brother find it, I want that for myself too. And with Bianca… well, I realised it just wasn't that kind of love."

"So you ended it," Emily finished for him.

Raking his fingers through his hair, Chris let out a sad, dejected sigh and nodded. "Yeah, I ended it," he said heavily. "It wasn't… pleasant…"

He trailed off and looked down at his hands, avoiding her gaze, and Emily felt a sudden clarity of understanding. While he was definitely in the process of letting them go, his feelings for Bianca still existed in some shape or form. Right now, he needed the time and the space to put them behind him, and she could see that he would not be ready to move on until he'd properly done that.

Not knowing how to tell him that she understood, Emily found herself reacting purely on instinct. Leaning forward, she slipped her hand into one of his and gently squeezed his fingers, rubbing the pad of her thumb over the back of his hand as she did so. Chris looked up in surprise at this unexpected gesture and, as their eyes met, a calm, mutual acceptance of their situation silently passed between them.

"We should go," Emily said, sitting back and draining the last drops of her coffee from her cup.

Emerging out onto the bright sunlit street a short while later, the two of them set off towards the Preston household, occasionally stopping to check the map for directions. Ambling along side by side, they talked idly of small, unimportant things, finally reaching their destination some fifteen minutes later.

Emily looked at the small, lovingly cared-for house in front of her and was instantly struck by its uncanny resemblance to her childhood home. It gave off that same strong sense of family, and stirred her memory so vividly that she could almost see her Mom in the garden tending to the flowerbeds, her Dad in the driveway washing his car, and herself riding her bike up and down the street, waving madly at them every time she cycled past.

Shaking off this sudden twinge of nostalgia, Emily glanced over at Chris. "So how are we going to play this?" she asked.

Chris shrugged. "No idea – I'm thinking we should probably start by knocking on the door though."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Emily concurred with a smile as they walked down the driveway.

Chris rang the bell and a young blonde woman answered the door. "Yes?" she asked rather nervously.

"Umm… hi! You don't know me, but I'm, err Chris and this is my friend Emily. We came to talk to you about your daughter."

The woman started fearfully, her back going rigid and her eyes taking on a wild, deer-in-headlights look. "Are you from the CPS?" she stammered. "Look - I know Leah can be a bit volatile, but she's a good girl really. I swear she is."

"We're not from the CPS," Chris assured her. "We are here to help though. Do you mind if we come in? I don't think it's a good idea for us to discuss your daughter's problems out here on the doorstep."

Leah's mother hesitated, still not certain enough of their intentions to risk letting them into her home.

Sensing the other woman's dilemma, Emily stepped in to smooth over the tense situation. "Maybe Chris should have introduced himself properly…," she began.

"Emily…," Chris immediately warned, but she shook her head at him and he desisted.

"This is Chris Halliwell," Emily went on, placing stress on the surname.

The blonde woman's eyes widened in amazement. "_The_ Chris Halliwell?" she asked in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

Emily nodded. "Yes – and he can help your little girl, I promise."

Releasing a shaky breath, the frightened young mother finally ushered them inside, reassured by Emily's calm manner.

"I'll go and find my husband," she said. "Umm… why don't you go through into the kitchen? Sit down; make yourselves at home."

As the woman hurried off up the stairs in search of her daughter's father, Chris and Emily went through into the large kitchen as instructed.

"How did you know?" Chris asked as they sat down at the table to wait. "That my name would do the trick, I mean. It usually has the opposite effect."

Emily smiled. "She was more bothered about having her child taken away from her, couldn't you see? You said it yourself – this poor couple must be beside themselves with worry over this. You're finally someone who might be able to help them."

Chris nodded. "I guess I never really looked at it like that."

"That's because you always see the bad in being who you are. You don't see that there are people out there who don't want a piece of you, people who simply trust you – and Wyatt – to make the world a better place for them and their families."

"Well - that told me, didn't it?" Chris replied after a brief pause.

Emily regarded him steadily, her blue eyes insightful. "I understand why you're defensive," she said. "But you should try to remember that not everyone's like that."

Chris sighed. "I know – it's just hard to tell one from the other sometimes."

"Are you really Chris Halliwell or is this some kind of sick joke?" a voice demanded from the doorway, interrupting their conversation.

Leah's mother had returned accompanied by her husband – a tall, athletic-looking man with dark hair and piercingly blue eyes, who was staring at them with suspicion rife in his gaze.

"Andy!" his wife admonished him in a shocked tone.

"No Kelly," her husband told her firmly. "I don't care who he says he is. We're talking about Leah's safety here."

He looked pointedly at Chris, who nodded and said. "No problem - I can understand that."

"So you won't mind if I ask you for proof then?"

Chris thought for a moment. What would prove his identity beyond a shadow of a doubt? And then it came to him… "WYATT! Can you come here for a sec?" he called.

Nothing happened for a disturbingly long time and then Wyatt finally orbed in, looking somewhat dishevelled and extremely irritated. "What?" he demanded of his brother. "This had better be good."

Chris ignored him and looked over to the stunned couple standing just inside the kitchen doorway. "Satisfied?" he asked.

They both nodded, their heads bobbing in comical unison. Chris turned back to his brother. "Okay thanks - you can go back to… well, whatever it was you were doing," he said with a mischievous wink.

On hearing the teasing lilt in Chris's voice, it suddenly occurred to Emily why Wyatt looked like he'd just gotten dressed in an extreme hurry. "Tell Chloe hi from me," she said cheerily and Chris laughed.

Wyatt shot them both a look that said 'I'm not amused', which only made them laugh even harder.

"You owe me," he told them ominously before he orbed out again.

"Virtually every witch with an internet connection knows what Wyatt looks like," Chris explained off Emily's enquiring look, "I've luckily managed to avoid being photographed for the most part though."

Emily nodded. "Do the Cleaners permit that?" she asked, a little puzzled as to why such web sites were allowed to exist.

"Non-magical people don't realise it's actually real - if they do get suspicious, that's when the Cleaners step in."

"I always thought that they were meant to be impartial," Andy Preston said, as he and his wife crossed the room to join them at the table.

"They are generally," Chris replied. "But twenty-five years ago, my Mom and Aunts taught them a valuable lesson. It made them change their outlook a bit. I guess they realised that their way wasn't always the only way, and so they decided to relax some of their more stringent rules. They're the reason I'm here actually."

Andy and Kelly Preston exchanged a fearful look. "Oh god, they want to take Leah, don't they?" Kelly said, her voice trembling uncontrollably as tears began to overflow down her cheeks.

Chris shook his head. "No, they asked us to try and help her before that becomes necessary."

"Help her how?" Andy burst out in desperation. "We've tried everything!"

"Except for Magic School," Chris said matter-of-factly.

"M-magic School?" Kelly asked, shooting a confused glance at her husband who was looking equally puzzled.

"About forty years ago, the Elders created a school where magical children could get an education and learn how to control their powers in a safe environment," Chris explained. "My Dad is the headmaster there, and he sent me to talk to you about enrolling Leah."

Emily saw a flare of hope flicker across Kelly's features, but then watched it die as her eyes took in her husband's grim expression.

"We work hard to support our daughter and give her the best," Andy said defensively. "But we can't afford to send her to an exclusive school like that."

Chris smiled. "There is only a nominal fee," he assured them, "The Elders don't require much money to keep the place running. They have alternative means of err… finance available to them."

While both Andy and Kelly seemed to sag with relief at this, they still remained somewhat wary. It was obvious that it all seemed too good to be true. Emily could understand that – she remembered Chris saying that he and Wyatt were paid to teach at Magic School. If they didn't charge for attendance, where did the money come from?

"Can we meet Leah?" Chris asked, cutting across her internal musings. "I think this should be her decision as much as yours."

Kelly nodded and rose to her feet. "She's upstairs in the playroom, I'll go and call her."

Half a minute later, the telltale sound of a young child clattering down the stairs reached their ears, and Kelly returned to the kitchen with a small girl in tow. Leah had her father's dark hair and her mother's soft brown eyes and heart-shaped face. Peeping out from behind her mother's legs, she eyed them warily and Emily felt Chris tense beside her.

"Leah no!" Kelly gasped in horror, sensing the same vibe from her daughter as Chris.

She was too late though. A second later, a vase on the shelf behind the little girl exploded with a loud crack and shards of glass hurtled towards Chris and Emily like mini speeding bullets. With lightening quick reflexes born of years of experience, Chris promptly raised his hand and the tiny missiles instantly froze in mid-air. When Emily looked more closely however, she realised that the shards of glass were still in fact moving, just at an extremely slow pace. With another flick of his wrist, Chris then deflected the glass debris safely over his and Emily's heads, so that it landed with a tinkling sound in the waste-paper basket in the corner.

Little Leah's mouth dropped open in astonishment. "How did you do that?" she demanded.

"That's what I want to know," Emily mumbled under her breath. She'd never seen Chris use his telekinesis quite like that before.

Chris rose out of his seat and moved round the table to squat down in front of the little girl. "It's called telekinesis," he explained. "It means I can move things with my mind."

"So, so you just told the glass not to hit you and the pretty lady and it didn't?" Leah asked.

Chris nodded. "Something like that, yeah."

"Does it ever happen when you don't want it to?" Leah enquired, her forehead creased into a little frown.

"When I was a very little boy, all the time," Chris admitted frankly, "Especially if I was scared or upset."

Leah just stared back at him with round, apprehensive eyes.

"That's what happened just now, isn't it?" Chris prompted gently. "You saw that your Mommy and Daddy were upset and you thought that we might be responsible…"

"I didn't mean to," Leah cried out desperately, tears leaking out of the corner of her eyes to run down her chubby cheeks.

"I know you didn't, sweetie – it's okay."

"I want to make it stop," Leah hiccupped. "I don't want be a bad girl anymore."

"Hey! Listen to me," Chris said soothingly. "You're not a bad girl; you're a very special girl."

Leah's sobs stopped mid-flow. "I am?" she asked hopefully.

"You are," Chris assured her with a smile. "But you need to learn how to control your power so that you don't hurt people."

"But they don't teach that at my school."

"I know, but they do at the school where I teach so I guess you're in luck."

"I don't go there though," Leah pointed out, her mouth settling into a cute little pout.

Chris laughed. "Would you like to?" he asked.

Unsure of how to respond, Leah looked over at her parents. "Mommy?"

Kelly knelt down by her daughter's side and hugged her close. "You can go if you want to, baby," she said, before something suddenly occurred to her.

"What about…? I mean where is it? She doesn't have to leave us, does she?" she asked worriedly, clutching her daughter closer in reaction.

"I don't want to leave Mommy and Daddy," Leah wailed, instantly infected by her mother's obvious anxiety.

"No, no you don't have to," Chris promised her. "It's a special school so it's got a special door - one that can open anywhere in the world. We can make it open here in your house."

As if a switch had just been flicked, Leah's mood immediately brightened. "Cool! How does it do that?" she asked excitedly.

"Magic!" Chris told her in a conspiratorial tone, his eyes twinkling merrily at her. Leah giggled and beamed toothily at him.

If it were possible for Emily to fall anymore in love with him, she would have done at that moment. Chris had told her that he preferred to teach the younger children at Magic School, but she'd never seen how well he related to them before. The adorable sight just made her insides melt into mush.

"I'll speak to my father and arrange a visit," Chris was saying to Andy and Kelly when she eventually emerged from her starry-eyed daydream.

Grasping Chris's right hand firmly in both of his, Andy shook it gratefully, almost pulling the bemused witch-whitelighter's arm out of his socket in the process. "Thank you," he said. "I don't know how we're ever going to… just thank you."

Chris looked faintly embarrassed at their gratitude, but accepted it with equanimity nonetheless.

"Don't worry about it, glad to help," he said modestly. "And as for you little missy," He winked at Leah, making her giggle again. "I'll see _you_ in class."

"So how did you do that?" Emily asked as they left the Preston house. "The slow motion thing, I mean."

"Oh _that_," Chris said, his initially confused expression clearing. "I think I might have inherited a smidgeon of my Mom's freezing power. Not enough to stop time obviously, but enough to slow it down when it's mixed up with my telekinesis like that."

"I've never seen you do that before though."

"No, well it's a bit of a new development actually."

"A new development?"

"Some witches' powers evolve over time," Chris explained. "It's pretty much the norm for that to happen in our family."

"So there might be hope for me and my crappy telekinesis ability yet then."

"Why what's wrong with it?"

"Nothing – unless you count the fact that I can still only float things."

"And that's a problem, how?"

"Well, it isn't exactly much use in a crisis, is it? You can't just float a demon away when it attacks, can you?"

Chris chuckled. "I see your point," he said. "You never know though, the potential could already be there. We never did get to finish those telekinesis lessons, did we?"

"No, no we didn't."

"You said your Mom's TK works like yours, right?"

Emily nodded.

"So it stands to reason that you'd find that the easiest. Pushing your power beyond its comfort zone is going to take more effort though. You need to learn how to tap into that. Look, I'm not promising anything, but it's worth a try, isn't it?"

"I guess so," Emily agreed.

"Of course," Chris said in a deceptively casual tone. "That would mean you returning to San Francisco."

Emily looked sharply at him, colour rising unbidden to her face. "You've been talking to Chloe," she accused.

"Wyatt actually, but same difference," Chris replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

Emily's gaze dropped to her feet, mortification twisting her insides into knots. Chris immediately reached out and caught hold of her wrist, halting her in her tracks and forcing her to turn and face him.

"Listen," he said, lifting her chin so that she was obliged to look him in the eye. "Please don't let what happened seven months ago stop you from coming home, okay? I wouldn't want that."

Emily looked back at him and decided to accept the sentiment in the spirit that it was intended. "Okay," she softly returned.

"Good." Chris said.

"So," he continued in a lighter tone, bumping his shoulder playfully against hers as they resumed walking down the street. "What do you say? About those TK lessons, I mean?"

All of a sudden, Emily felt the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle slide into place and she couldn't stop the smile that crossed her face as a result.

"I'd say you've got yourself a deal," she declared.

Chris's face broke into an answering grin. "I'm glad to hear it," he said, his eyes meeting hers with just a hint of future promise shining in their jade-green depths…

_**To be continued…**_

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A/N 2:** I did a quick internet search and the CPS (Child Protective Services) appears to be the term used for the government department that looks after Children's welfare in the US. Apologies if that's wrong. We generally just call them Social Services here in the UK. **

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**Re: Trina-k and GirlX:) -** you'll get a flashback to the proposal some time during one of the next two chapters. And trina-k - yes, we will see Bianca again (see below).

**Re: Frosty-Rose and Chrissy W** – Bianca and Emily are going to meet again – I can't resist writing that scene! However, it's not going to be for a little while yet.

**Re: Charmed Clover** – see answer above about Bianca/Emily. The living arrangements will be dealt with some time during the next few chapters as well.

**Re: Victorious Light** – yeah, my imagination was definitely working overtime when I created those cute little demons (Ick!)


	23. The Engagement Party

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hey! New update for you. It is explained properly in the next part, but just so you know, this chapter is set only a few days on from the previous one. That means that Chloe and Chris haven't swapped apartments, and Emily is only staying over in San Francisco for the weekend and hasn't moved back yet.

**NB:** there's some cheeky talk in this and lots of Wyatt/Chloe smooching so be warned.

As ever, thanks for the reviews. Replies at the end of the chapter.

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Chapter 23

**_Early Saturday evening, Chloe's apartment…_**

Turning this way and that, Emily surveyed her reflection in the mirror, nibbling at her bottom lip in concentration. The versatile A-line cut of her emerald-green skirt meant that the silky fabric skimmed flatteringly over her curvy hips before swirling dramatically round her legs to where it fell to just above the knee. What's more, the delicate beadwork decorating the v-shaped neckline of her short-sleeved, chiffon black top complimented the bold, striking colour of the skirt beautifully. Yet she still wasn't satisfied…

"Maybe the dress was better," she decided. "I'll go and change…"

"You do and I'll make you wear pink at the wedding," Chloe threatened, deliberately barring her path to prevent her from escaping into the other room again.

"You wouldn't!"

"Uh-huh, yeah I would. I don't care how horribly it clashes with your hair."

"It'll ruin the photos."

Chloe shrugged. "We can always have you air-brushed out," she said matter-of-factly, and then laughed at the incredulous expression that crossed her cousin's face. "Relax Em – you look beautiful."

Realising she was in imminent danger of losing the plot, Emily forced herself to calm down and turned her attention to her cousin's outfit instead – a strapless, cream-coloured cocktail dress, the bodice of which was decorated with a swirling design of small, hand-embroidered flowers in lilac, mauve and silver thread.

"You too," she said, "Very bridal."

Chloe beamed at her. "So what do you think to this style for the wedding?" she asked, turning around so Emily could see how she'd fixed her hair.

Her long, golden locks had been pulled back off her face into a loose ponytail, which then cascaded down her back in a mass of tumbling curls, sparkly hair accessories artfully catching the light as she moved her head from side to side.

"I was thinking more pearls and flowers rather than the diamante stuff for the big day though," she went on. "What do you reckon?"

"It's gorgeous, but maybe you should experiment a bit more before you make up your mind. That and perhaps think about getting a dress to go with the hairstyle."

"Ha! Ha! Very funny," Chloe said sarcastically. "Aren't we just Little Miss Practical, hey? I'm allowed to daydream about my own wedding, aren't I?"

Emily laughed. "Did you do that yourself?" she asked, lightly touching the elaborately styled curls with her fingertips.

A delicate blush tinged Chloe's cheeks at the question. "Well umm… I might have cheated just a little bit," she confessed sheepishly.

"Chloe Simpson, I'm shocked! Using magic for personal gain. And with you about to become Mrs Wyatt Halliwell too."

"Yeah well, that's why I have to look absolutely perfect. I have to show the world I'm good enough for him."

"You could turn up wrapped in a bed sheet for all I care," a voice said from behind them.

The two women turned round to find Wyatt leaning casually against the doorframe, his arms folded across his chest. "In fact, come to think of it, that's actually a very good look on you."

"Wyatt!" Chloe protested, blushing furiously.

Emily laughed and moved towards the doorway. "All right, I'm going to finish getting ready," she said, jerking her thumb in the direction of the other bedroom, "Because that is really more than I need to know."

"I can't believe you said that," Chloe said, shaking her head at her grinning fiancé as he crossed the room to join her.

"Why? It's the truth," Wyatt said.

He wrapped his arms round her waist from behind and bent to kiss her neck, his lips moist against her soft skin. Chloe placed her hands over his and leaned back into his embrace, allowing the calm, familiar sense of his presence to wash over her.

"That's hardly the point," she said, humming contentedly in the back of her throat when he pressed another sweet, feather-light kiss against her temple.

"On the contrary," Wyatt murmured back as he moved around to stand in front of her. "I think that's exactly the point."

Drawing her back into his arms, he dipped his head once more, kissing her properly this time. Chloe kissed him back, one hand sliding up his arm to curl around the nape of his neck, while the other held firmly onto his bicep, her fingers gently kneading the solid muscle there.

"I'm going to have to reapply my lipstick now," she complained when they finally drew apart.

"Isn't it kiss resistant?"

"Apparently not," Chloe replied, reaching up to wipe away a smudge of pink from the corner of his mouth with the pad of her thumb.

"Not much good for an engagement party then, is it?"

"No, I'm definitely going to have to go for something more hard-wearing," Chloe concurred, searching through her make-up bag for a suitable candidate.

Wyatt leaned against the dresser, watching as she slicked the waxy substance over her lips and blotted the result with a folded piece of tissue.

"You don't have to show the world anything, you know," he said quietly, referring back to the snippet of conversation that he'd overhead earlier. "_I_ want to marry you, and that's all that matters."

Chloe replaced the cap on her lipstick and smiled at him. "I know," she said. "It's just that every so often I feel this huge weight of expectation, you know?"

Wyatt did know, all too well. "You have to ignore it," he told her. "You said it yourself - the night I first discovered the bed sheet look was particularly fetching on you… ouch!"

He clutched at his smarting arm in mild protest before continuing: "Well anyway – I remember it like it was yesterday. You said, 'When you come home to me, you leave all the Twice-Blessed Child stuff at the door'."

"Yeah, I remember."

"Well it cuts both ways, you know. We close that door behind us and it's just you and me – Wyatt and Chloe, two people who love each other and want to be together always. Everything and everyone else is irrelevant."

With a rush of powerful sentiment, Chloe stood on her tiptoes, cupped his face in her hands and kissed him again with slow and deliberate thoroughness. "So husband-to-be," she said when she released him from the warm, tender embrace.

"Yes wife-to-be?" Wyatt quipped back, smiling down at her as she straightened his mussed-up shirt for him and then smoothed down her own dress.

"Firstly, I love you. And secondly, I think we've got an engagement party to go to."

"And thirdly," she said as an afterthought as they moved towards the door. "We need to go and retrieve Emily from her room before she changes her outfit again!"

Wyatt laughed. "I don't think she's got anything to worry about," he said without thinking. "If you ask me, all she has to do is be a little bit patient."

"And I didn't just say that," he quickly added when Chloe looked sharply at him.

"Ah no, you can't take it back now," she said, shimmying up to him, her expression coy and deliberately seductive.

"That won't work," Wyatt told her immediately – but unfortunately not very convincingly.

A knowing smile spread across Chloe's face and he gave in. "All right – but it's just between you and me, okay?"

"Okay," his fiancée agreed, her violet-blue eyes twinkling merrily at him.

Wyatt frowned. "I'm serious, Chloe. Don't go trying to play the matchmaker. I know my brother – that's the guaranteed way to make him back off. He's stubborn and he won't be rushed. Breaking up with Bianca wasn't easy for him, you know. They were together for three years and he still needs to reconcile himself to that. Just leave him and Emily to work this out in their own time, okay?"

Chloe nodded, taking the advice to heart. Wyatt knew his brother better than anyone did and she would never do anything to jeopardise her cousin's happiness. Emily was thankfully much more in control of her emotions now anyway, despite her continual outfit changing this evening. She wasn't afraid to dream, but Chloe knew she wasn't going to pin all her hopes of happiness solely on Chris either. Whichever way this turned out, she would be all right. She'd find a way to deal with whatever the future held in store for her.

"So – are you ready?" Wyatt asked, prompting her to look up and smile happily into his face.

"Yes, I think so," she said, slipping her hand into his. "Let's go celebrate…"

**OOOOOO**

**_The Manor, an hour and a half later…_**

Alone in the kitchen, Emily picked up the ladle, dipped it into the punch and then reached for her glass.

"Damn!" she muttered when her hand slipped and she knocked the glass from the counter instead. With a swift scooping gesture, she floated the tumbler back to safety before it hit the floor and smashed.

"What are you doing?" a sharp voice demanded from behind her, making her almost jump out of her skin in shock.

"Dad!" she exclaimed, her palm going to her throat in reaction. "Will you not do that, please? I nearly had a heart attack."

Her father just stared sternly back at her. "I asked you a question, Emily," he reminded her.

Emily sighed, a twisted ball of resigned sadness stirring in her belly at the uncompromising tone of his voice. "You know what I was doing," she said. "Why bother pretending that you don't?"

"It's called magic," she said flatly when he didn't respond. "Telekinesis if you want to know the precise term."

"Don't get smart with me, young lady."

"I wasn't trying to be…," Emily stopped and huffed her breath out from between her lips in frustration. "Look – you're uncomfortable with this, I get that. But I'm not like Mom – I can't deny who I am just because you have a problem with it. This is my life and I have to live it the way I see fit."

"And this is what you want, is it?" David Hargreaves asked, gesturing at their surroundings as if they alone demonstrated the Halliwell's supernatural leanings, "To associate yourself with these people?"

"These people, as you so delightfully describe them, are good people, Dad. If you'd just open your eyes, you'd see that all they're trying to do is make the world a better place. And in case you've forgotten, your niece would be dead if it wasn't for one of them."

"You've changed, Emily."

"Yes Dad, I guess I have," she agreed gravely. "And I'm sorry that you find that so difficult to accept. I'm sorry that I've not turned out to be the daughter you wanted, that I'm such a disappointment to you."

"You're not a disappointment."

"Oh yeah?" Emily immediately contradicted this assertion, prickly moisture rising unbidden to her eyes. "Then why have you been treating me like I don't exist for the past year then?"

"I don't… this is difficult for me, you know that."

"Yes, I know that. But can't you at least try to understand? I mean, you came here tonight – I thought that… obviously I was wrong."

David looked back over his shoulder at the crowd of people in the other room. "This is not the time to discuss this," he told his daughter firmly.

"No, it never is," she shot back.

"I shouldn't have come."

"So why did you?"

"I wanted to… I missed you, honey."

Emily felt her heart shatter into tiny pieces and she had to bite her lip to hold back the threatening tears. "I miss you too, Dad," she said miserably. "I never wanted it to be this way."

"You chose this life."

Emily shook her head. "Not over you I didn't. You forced me into that. And I didn't really choose it anyway – it's just part of who I am. If you wanted a normal daughter, then you shouldn't have married a witch."

Her father sighed. "I loved her. And whether you believe me or not, I never asked her to give up that part of her life. I just asked her not to flaunt it in front of me, and she's always respected my feelings on that."

"And that's what you think I'm doing? Flaunting it? Disrespecting you somehow?"

"In some ways, yes, I do. Maybe if you were a bit more willing to compromise…"

"I told you I'd abide by your wishes and not use magic in front of you. What more do you want?"

Her father was silent.

"I see – you want me to deny it completely, right? Pretend that my life here in San Francisco is totally humdrum and magic free. Would that make you feel better, huh? If I lie about who I am every time I come to visit? Make up some fairytale existence so you can wallow in denial?"

"I see we're not going to get anywhere with this," David said stiffly.

Emily sighed wearily. "No, I guess not. I love you, Dad, but I won't pretend to be something I'm not. This is who I am – either you accept it or you don't. It's your choice."

Her father regarded her sombrely. "I'm sorry that it's come to this, honey, I really am," he said and then abruptly turned and left the room.

Emily's chest heaved in a dry, painful sob and she brought her shaking hands up to cover her face, trying not to let her emotions get the better of her.

Relations with her father had been incredibly strained since she'd told him she wasn't going to deny her Wiccan heritage anymore, and ten months at odds with someone she was once so close too was really starting to eat away at her inside. She'd had such high hopes when she'd seen him standing on the doorstep with her Mom tonight. She'd honestly thought that he was starting to come round. She should have guessed that being surrounded by witches, Elders and whitelighters would only make him retreat further inside his protective shell.

She didn't understand what he was so afraid of – he knew his wife and her family weren't bad people. Why did he persist in the belief that the magical world was such a terrible thing to be part of? It didn't make any sense. In every other circumstance, her father was a fair and just man, always willing to see both sides of the story. But this… his prejudicial attitude simply didn't tally with the principled person she knew him to be. There had to be a reason for it, there just had to be…

Emily jumped, letting out a startled gasp as a warm, gentle hand landed on her shoulder.

"Sorry," Chris softly apologised, moving round to stand in front of her. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"No, no you didn't. I err…" Emily trailed off and drew in a shaky breath.

"Are you okay?" Chris asked, his green eyes regarding her with gentle concern.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," she hastily assured him.

"You sure? You look kind of upset."

"No – I was just… getting a bit over-emotional, I suppose."

"Wedding's do that to people, I'm told," Chris said, allowing her to change the subject, even though it was obvious from the penetrating look he gave her that he knew she was lying.

She wasn't going to let her father get to her though, not tonight of all nights. This was Chloe and Wyatt's engagement party and she wasn't going to ruin it for them by causing a scene, or by being a miserable party-pooper. Drawing in a deep breath, she resolutely squared her shoulders and pushed her problems with her father to the back of her mind.

"Did your Mom do all this?" she asked Chris, waving her hand at the kitchen table, which was almost buckling under the weight of all the food laid out upon it. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that the table in the dining room was the sturdy support for a similar culinary feast.

"Yeah – with a little bit of help from her slave," Chris said, ruefully holding up his left hand, the thumb and forefinger of which were wrapped in blue plasters to protect the cuts he'd sustained early that afternoon. "Wyatt got let off the kitchen-hand duties because it's his party, which was a bit of a cop out if you ask me."

He stopped his narrative to survey the impressive spread of food. "She really outdid herself though, didn't she?" he said proudly. His eyes then lit up as he spotted something amongst the many plates and bowls on the table. "Oo! I didn't know she made those."

Moving eagerly forward, he started to reach out towards the table, but then froze in the act and carefully put his hands behind his back. "It's probably booby-trapped," he muttered to himself.

"Booby-trapped?" Emily asked laughingly.

"Little boys with their thieving fingers, who won't be told that a plate of cookies is not a suitably nutritious meal," Piper remarked as she bustled into the kitchen.

"Wyatt and I used to steal food a lot when we were kids," Chris explained to Emily. "Mom eventually devised a means of magical discouragement."

"I had to do something," Piper said with a shrug. "Otherwise I'd have been cooking 24/7. You have no idea how much food two growing boys are capable of putting away between them if they're given free reign."

Gazing at her contrite-looking son with a soft, tender look in her brown eyes, she reached up and nostalgically touched the side of his face with her fingertips before becoming all business again.

"Okay – help me with this," she instructed in a brisk tone, removing the plastic wrapping from one the platters of food and putting it into a black refuse bag that she had retrieved from a drawer. Chris looked at the mountain of food in wide-eyed dismay and then a sudden, mischievous glint entered his eye.

"Rather than breaking our backs and hurting our feet,

Let the food on these tables be ready to eat!"

"Chris!" Piper admonished sharply as warm, golden light swirled like a hundred comets around the tables and the refuse bag in her hand rapidly expanded, suddenly becoming full to the brim.

"Doing it by hand would have taken until next week," he said unrepentantly. "This way everyone gets to eat before they starve."

Piper rolled her eyes and looked over at Emily. "Word of advice," she said with mock solemnity. "Don't _ever_ give birth to boys."

Emily giggled as Chris voiced his shocked protest. "MOM!"

Piper smiled and moved over to the counter to re-fill the half-empty bowl of punch. "Go tell everyone the food's up," she told her son.

Grumbling under his breath, Chris obediently went and did just that, much to the vocal delight of the party guests, who had all been surreptitiously eyeing up the delicious-looking buffet since they'd first walked through the door…

_**Two hours later…**_

"Hey! I wondered where you'd got to," Wyatt said, sitting down next to Chloe on the bench at the end of the garden. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and she nestled her head into his collarbone.

"I just needed some breathing space," she murmured. "I didn't know this would be so stressful."

"Stressful?"

"Worrying about everyone getting on," Chloe clarified. "Our two families, I mean."

"But your Mom and Dad met mine last week and everything went fine," Wyatt said, referring to the meal out that they'd organised so that their respective parents could make each other's acquaintance before the party, rather than during it.

Despite having gotten used to Wyatt's celebrity status in the months that he'd been dating their daughter, Michael and Leann Simpson had still been slightly intimidated by his equally famous parents on first meeting them. However, much like their sons, Piper and Leo had always refused to buy into their fame, and so had quickly put the other couple at ease. Soon they were all chatting away like old friends and, in Wyatt's opinion, the evening couldn't have gone any better.

"I know – but did you see Uncle David sitting there with a face like a thundercloud. I know we invited him, but I don't know why he came – this kind of thing is his worse nightmare."

"This kind of thing?"

"Rubbing shoulders with us 'magic folk'."

Wyatt nodded, belatedly remembering that Emily's father was uncomfortable with his wife and daughter's wiccan side.

Chloe sighed. "I hate to see Emily disappointed, you know. She was so happy when he turned up earlier; I think she really thought he was beginning to accept things."

"This is a start though, isn't it? The fact that he actually came along?"

"I guess," Chloe agreed rather dubiously.

"Anyway, enough of that," she said brusquely, sitting up and pulling him away from him. "I suppose we should get back to entertaining our guests."

"Actually, I have a better idea," Wyatt said, standing up and holding out both his hands towards her.

"You do?" Chloe asked as she slipped her fingers into his and allowed him to pull her to her feet.

"Uh-huh," Wyatt replied noncommittally, leading her by the hand back towards the house.

Fingers entwined, they walked through the kitchen - where some of their guests were helping themselves to yet another plateful of Piper's delicious food - through the hall and then on into the conservatory.

The white wicker chairs had been pushed back against the walls, transforming the place into a dance floor for the night. Glowing crystals dimly lit the room with refracted multicoloured light, creating a suitably romantic atmosphere for the occasion. Right now, the dance floor was deserted though, their guests still eating their fill and chatting in the other rooms.

Wyatt changed the music from the up-tempo song currently playing along to itself with a negligent flick of his wrist. A slower, gentler sound immediately emerged from the speakers and he pulled Chloe around to face him. Dropping her hand, he slid his arms around her waist and tugged her close, his fingers pressing firmly into the small of her back. Chloe lifted her arms and wound them round his neck, lightly caressing his hair as they began to sway slowly in time with the music.

"Mingling time is over," Wyatt told her quietly, leaning down and tenderly touching his forehead to hers.

"This makes us very bad hosts, you know," Chloe murmured back, her warm breath dancing tantalisingly over his lips.

"I can live with that," Wyatt replied before bridging the last gap between them and pressing his mouth to hers. With a soft sigh of surrender, Chloe tightened her arms about his neck and kissed him back, letting everything else fade into the background.

Piper watched wistfully from the doorway as her son and his fiancée continued to dance, completely oblivious to everything but each other. Frequently exchanging slow, gentle kisses, they talked, laughed or simply gazed into one another's eyes as they circled the dance floor in a world of their own.

"It's hard to let them go, huh?"

Piper turned to find Chloe's mother standing next to her, watching their children with the same partly regretful look in her eye.

"Sometimes," she replied.

"I know that Chloe is… that she's probably not what you hoped for him, but she does love him, you know."

"Not what I hoped for him?" Piper was confused.

"She's not a particularly powerful witch, I mean. Emily has inherited the bulk of our family's power this generation. My daughter is special in her own way, but she's ordinary in a magical sense. And Wyatt… well, he isn't, is he?"

"No, he isn't," Piper agreed. "But you're wrong – all I've ever wanted for my sons is for them to have some semblance of a normal life. And Wyatt needs that a whole lot more than his brother does - I guess because he carries the greater weight of the responsibility. So believe me, Chloe is everything I want for him and more."

"And I'd say he agrees with me," she added with a smile, watching as her son bent bestow yet another kiss on his fiancée's clearly addictive lips.

"Hey bro! Get a room, why don't ya?"

Chris appeared out of nowhere in the doorway, Emily and his eldest cousin Prue a few paces behind him. Breaking apart from Chloe, Wyatt gestured rudely at his brother who laughed and turned to Emily.

"Want to dance?" he asked casually.

Emily blushed prettily. "Okay," she agreed shyly, following him out onto the dance floor.

"I did try to bring them up with better manners honestly," Piper commented to Leann, who laughed, knowing full well how your children could embarrass you – grown-up or otherwise.

"I imagine two boys of a similar age with magical powers were rather a handful," she empathised.

"You do not want to know," Piper said darkly. "How about we go and get ourselves another drink and find somewhere to sit down?" she suggested after a brief pause.

"Leave the young things to it," she added, noting the steady influx of her sons' friends, their cousins and their friends onto the dance floor.

Leann readily agreed and they left the conservatory in search of company more their own age. Meanwhile, Emily held herself rigidly upright, fixing her eyes on a point just over Chris's shoulder, not knowing quite where to look.

Even though Chris was only holding her relatively loosely in his arms - unlike Wyatt and Chloe who were so closely entwined that you could hardly tell where one ended and the other began – Emily had never been in such close proximity to him before. The light, spicy scent of his aftershave and the warmth of his fingers against her back had a rather unsettling effect on her sense of equilibrium, prompting her heart to beat out a rapid tattoo against her breast.

"Relax – it's just a dance," Chris murmured in her ear.

With a whoosh, Emily let the tension go, realising he was right. It was just a dance; nothing she couldn't handle. She lifted her eyes to his face and he smiled down at her. "Better?"

"Yeah. Sorry."

"So your Aunt? She's not overly sensitive, right?" Chris continued conversationally.

"Hmm?"

"I mean, she won't be offended by me and my brother's fantastic display of good breeding back there?"

"Oh!" Emily laughed as she realised what he was referring to. "No, no – don't worry, she's pretty liberal-minded."

Smiling, she recalled her Aunt's comment after Chloe had told her that she was going to stay in San Francisco, ostensibly to avoid the town gossip about her miraculous recovery, but really to pursue Wyatt. 'The poor boy's not gonna know what hit him,' she'd remarked with clear amusement.

Glancing over at her cousin and the 'poor boy' in question, Emily concluded that Wyatt probably still didn't know what had hit him, but whatever it was, he wasn't complaining. In fact, if she wasn't very much mistaken, he appeared to be rather enjoying it.

"That's good," Chris said, drawing her attention back to him. "I wouldn't want to get Wyatt in trouble with the future in-laws."

Emily smiled. "I don't think there's much chance of that," she told him. "Saying you're going to marry Wyatt Halliwell in a Wicca family is like saying you're going to marry the most pre-eminent surgeon in the world in a non-magical one."

"Well, as far as Chloe's parents are concerned anyway," she added, thinking that her own father wouldn't be quite so welcome to the idea.

Chris looked faintly bemused on hearing that. "I know Wyatt's supposed to be Mr All-Powerful and all that, but he's just a normal guy underneath," he said.

"I know," Emily agreed, "But that only makes him even more of a catch. If he was too full of his own importance, it wouldn't matter who he was, my Aunt and Uncle would definitely not be impressed. Chloe is their only child and they want her to be with someone who will treat her with the respect and care they think she deserves."

Chris looked contemplatively over at Wyatt and Chloe. "Then I think that they've got their wish," he said quietly. "That girl is my brother's whole world. He'd do anything for her."

Watching her cousin throw back her head and laugh as Wyatt playfully spun her round and dipped her over his arm, Emily didn't doubt that for one single second…

_**To be continued…**_

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Okay, I know this was a little bit sappy in places, but this is a wedding! As Chris said, it does that to people :-) _

**Re: Victorious Light** – Glad you like it. I didn't want to trivialise Chris and Bianca's relationship in any way, hence the time jump so they didn't break up instantly, and now him and Emily not immediately getting together. Chris has just made this huge, painful decision about his future and I couldn't see him rushing headlong into another relationship, at least not one that wasn't just a rebound fling anyway. He and Emily already have a strong, established friendship and I don't believe the Chris I've written would abuse that, which is why I've taken the story in this direction and kept them as just good friends for now.

**Re:hazza123** - you're in luck. I've just added an extra plotline to the second half of this story so it might go on a bit longer than I was predicting. I thought that what I had planned lacked a little bit of drama here and there, so I've added some in to keep things fresh :-)

**Re:Nubilina & Phoebe Turner** – Leah will make another appearance, yes.

**Re:Trina K** – yeah, I keep thinking I've made him a little too perfect. Maybe I'll have to have him do something a bit naughty at some point!

**Re: those reviewers asking about the Bianca/Emily meeting** – you'll have to wait a while for that. It comes later on in the story.

**Re: to those reviewers who enjoyed Chris as a teacher – **Great :-) Because you'll be seeing more of that in the coming chapters.


	24. A Surprise Proposal

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **New update for you. Thanks for the reviews. I've replied to everyone who left a signed review using the new reply system. I hope I haven't missed anyone – it's completely unintentional if I have. Remember that you have to sign in now if you want a review reply – new rules of the site.

**Warning: **There is a suggestion of sexual activity in this part, so please be suitably cautioned. Oh and 'La Villa' is a completely made up restaurant as far as I know.

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Chapter 24

**_Next morning…_**

"Chloe?"

Coffee mug in hand, Emily tapped lightly on the bedroom door. There was no reply so she twisted the handle and cautiously opened it, poking her head around the frame. Her cousin's room was empty; the bed still made and clearly not slept in. Emily smiled, it was no more than she expected to find.

Closing the door, she wandered back into the living area of her old apartment and looked around. The furniture was still the same but the apartment seemed subtly different somehow. Chloe had stamped her mark over the place, and there was evidence of Wyatt's presence all around as well – Emily was quite sure that the man-sized jeans and t-shirts hanging in the closet in her room did not belong to her cousin for instance.

Although not yet officially co-habiting, according to Chris, the young couple had rarely spent a night apart in weeks, Wyatt either staying down here with Chloe or she upstairs with him. It was inevitable that some of their possessions had crossed apartments therefore.

_Ding… Dong…_

The doorbell rang, startling Emily out of her thoughts. She went to answer it, wondering who would call round so early on in the day. It was barely even eight o'clock.

"Morning!" Chris greeted her with a cheery smile when she opened the door. He brandished the large, brown paper bag in his hand. "Breakfast?"

Emily smiled. "Sure. Come in."

"I hope you've not eaten yet," Chris said as he closed the door behind him and followed her into the apartment.

Emily shook her head. "No – got to get some caffeine in me first."

She held up her mug as evidence, blushing a little when she realised that she was still wearing her nightclothes. Fortunately, she'd chosen to bring some of her more modest bedroom attire with her this weekend, and was therefore dressed in a pair of loose, white cotton pyjama bottoms and a cornflower-blue vest-top.

"So, are Wyatt and Chloe up yet?" she asked.

Chris shrugged. "I wouldn't know, I stayed at the Manor last night."

Emily was somewhat taken aback by that. She'd assumed he'd gone upstairs to his and Wyatt's apartment after he'd seen her safely to her door the previous evening.

"I thought I'd give them some privacy," Chris explained off her surprised look. "I can be considerate to my big brother when I want to be, you know."

"In fact, the sooner I move out, the better, I think," he continued, his eyes made a quick sweep of the apartment as he said this. His gaze fell back on Emily and she saw his expression subtly change as realisation dawned.

"It's okay," she said, quickly sensing the direction of his thoughts. "I'll look for another apartment."

"But this was your apartment first."

"And you wouldn't have to move out if I hadn't introduced my cousin to your brother," Emily countered.

Chris grinned. "Well, there is that," he agreed with an incline of his head, "But that's beside the point, you might not find another suitable place."

Emily laughed. "Don't be daft - the papers are full of apartments to rent."

"Yes, but you have to be careful. Now that you're associated with us, I mean. You need to be somewhere where help is close at hand. No, I think it's best if you stay here. I can lodge at Magic School for the time being."

"Magic School?"

"Yeah, there are staff living quarters there.A lot of them are unused, now that there aren't so many boarders, but some teachers do still live in."

"I don't know – I mean, will you have enough room?" Emily had awful visions of him and the entirety of his possessions crammed into some poky, non-descript bedroom.

Chris laughed. "Yeah – they're proper apartments. When you build a school on another plane of existence, space isn't really an issue."

"No, I suppose not," Emily concurred with some relief. "So you think you'll be able to get permission to stay there then?"

Chris smiled at her, his green eyes dancing with gentle amusement. "I can almost guarantee it. I've got connections, you see."

"Oh! Right," Emily said, feeling rather stupid. She'd forgotten Leo was the headmaster at the school. Of course he wasn't going to let his son end up homeless and on the streets.

"So – what are you doing today?" Chris asked, changing the subject from their respective living arrangements. "You're not going back to LA until tonight, right?"

"No, but I'm meeting my Mom in a couple of hours, and hopefully my Dad too. It's meant to be so we can spend some family time together before they fly back, but I don't suppose Dad'll turn up now, not after the argument we had last night."

"He still has issues with the magic stuff?" Chris asked, vaguely recalling her telling him something to that effect before she'd gone to LA.

Emily nodded. "Yeah," she said sadly and then forcibly shook off her attack of melancholy. "Why did you ask anyway? About my plans for today, I mean."

"Oh. I umm thought that we could… well, have another go at those telekinesis lessons maybe."

Emily could have sworn she saw a look of faint disappointment cross his face as he told her this, and her insides squirmed with pleasure. "Can I take a rain-check on that?" she said. "I'll be back permanently in San Francisco in three weeks."

Chris nodded. "Rain-check it is," he agreed. "But for now… breakfast. I've got bagels and cream cheese, my Mom's breakfast muffins, and I can even make pancakes if Chloe's got the right ingredients."

Emily grinned at him. "As long as there's coffee to go with them, bagels and your Mom's breakfast muffins sound just fine. Delicious in fact."

**OOOOOO**

Chloe slowly drifted into wakefulness, her eyes fluttering open. Discovering herself warmly cocooned in the circle of Wyatt's arms, she sighed contentedly and snuggled back against him.

"Hey!" he said softly in her ear when he felt her stir.

She turned over onto her back to find him looking down at her, his head propped up on his hand and his blond hair tousled by sleep. "Hey!" she returned, curling her hand round the nape of his neck and drawing his face down to hers to kiss him good morning.

"We should get up," she told him when they separated.

"Why?"

"Because we're meeting my parents for lunch before they go back home, remember?"

"It's eight am," Wyatt pointed out, trailing his forefinger down the length of her bare arm and raising goosebumps on her flesh.

"And it's the weekend." He dipped his head to nuzzle her in the crook of her neck to emphasise the point.

"Wyatt!" Chloe lazily protested, half-heartedly attempting to push him away. "We're not on honeymoon yet, you know."

Her fiancé lifted his mouth from its contemplation of her skin and looked down into her face. "So – we can practise, can't we?"

With that, he grabbed the comforter, tugged it up over their heads and pulled her, squealing and giggling uncontrollably, down the bed with him…

Two hours later, Chloe stashed the last of the breakfast pots in the dishwasher and wandered through into the apartment's living area. She could hear the shower running in the bathroom down the hall, informing her that Wyatt had finally managed to drag himself out of bed and start getting ready.

He was as lazy as a teenager sometimes, a habit that could be annoying when there was some place that they had to be. They weren't meeting her parents for another hour or so yet though, so there was no point making an issue of it. She guessed it was just one of those little foibles that you had to get used to when you committed your life to someone else's.

Curling up in the brown leather armchair by the window, she absently twisted her engagement ring around on her finger and thought back to the night when she had made that life-changing decision…

**_Three weeks before, Chris and Wyatt's apartment…_**

"What?" Chloe demanded of Chris, who was watching her with a speculative twinkle in his green eyes.

"Nothing, I didn't say a word," he replied, his voice effortlessly blasé. "Do you want a drink while you wait?"

Without hanging around to hear her answer, he got up and went through into the kitchen. Chloe stared after him suspiciously - all right, so what was going on?

Because he was running a little late, Wyatt had called and asked her to meet him here before they went out tonight. Nothing unusual about that – except that he still wasn't home and Chris had been grinning at her like a lunatic ever since she'd arrived half an hour ago. It was all a bit disconcerting to be honest.

A tinkling orb sound announced her boyfriend's imminent arrival and she could have sworn she heard Chris mutter "_Finally!_" in the kitchen. She glanced at her watch as Wyatt began to emerge out of the blur of blue lights. They were going to be late for the restaurant, she realised, except…

"You're ready to go," she said in astonishment.

"Uhh… yeah," Wyatt replied, looking down at his smart attire. "I umm… changed at Mom and Dad's."

"This is nice," she said, standing up and lightly touching the deep blue silk shirt that he was wearing. Thin, vertical turquoise stripes added interest to the otherwise plain garment and the material was soft as butter under her fingertips. "Is it new?"

"Yeah, he bought it especially for the occasion," Chris told her from the kitchen doorway.

"What occasion?" Chloe asked innocently, looking towards Chris and therefore missing the murderous look that Wyatt shot at his brother in reaction to this inadvertent slip of the tongue.

"I thought you said you were going to 'La Villa' – you have to look the part for that," Chris hastily covered up his blunder by referring to one of the most exclusive restaurants in San Francisco.

"Yes, we are – and I still don't know how you can afford it," Chloe replied, turning back to her boyfriend.

"You worry too much," Wyatt told her. "Just relax and enjoy it. Are you ready to go?"

"I am if you're ready to take me."

Wyatt paused before answering and she shivered in response to the intense look he gave her. "I'm ready," he eventually said, more to himself than her she thought.

"Good Luck," Chris called after them as they headed out the door, which Chloe thought was rather a strange thing for him to say in farewell. He sure was acting weird tonight - maybe his split from Bianca was affecting him more than he was letting on.

Wyatt acknowledged his brother's words with a tight, edgy smile, and then firmly took her by the hand and led her down the corridor towards the elevator.

"Are we driving?" she asked, almost having to run to keep up with his long, purposeful strides.

"Yes," Wyatt replied shortly, overenthusiastically punching the 'down' button.

Chloe frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?"

"You seem a bit tense," Chloe pointed out, "And your palms are all sweaty."

Wyatt sucked in a deep breath. "I'm fine. I just… I want tonight to be special. We haven't been out much lately."

"I know," Chloe said as they rode down in the elevator to the parking level. "But that's okay. I mean, you were busy with magic stuff and then Chris broke up with Bianca… It's okay for you to be there for your brother, you know. You didn't have to take me to 'La Villa' to make up for it."

"Well that's good," Wyatt muttered under his breath.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing. Come on." He ushered her towards the car and solicitously held the passenger door open for her as she climbed into the front seat.

They'd been driving in comfortable silence for almost ten minutes before Chloe realised they were heading out of the city rather than into it. "Umm – isn't 'La Villa' that way?" she asked, waving her hand back at the rapidly retreating buildings.

"Yes," Wyatt replied, but didn't offer any further information, forcing Chloe to ask for it.

"So why are we driving this way?" she queried.

Wyatt smiled, his first genuine, unforced smile of the evening. "Because we're not going to 'La Villa' obviously," he told her.

"We're not?"

"No."

"Okaay – so where are we going?"

"You'll see," Wyatt replied mysteriously.

There was a brief pause and then Chloe asked. "I don't suppose there is any way I can persuade you to tell me, is there?"

"Nope."

"No – somehow I didn't think so. All right, I'll play along – not that I actually have a choice, mind."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll survive the anticipation," her boyfriend replied with a sly, sidelong glance in her direction.

Half an hour later, she was walking down a deserted beach, getting sand in her shoes and still non the wiser about their destination. Just as they were about to run out of beach, Wyatt stopped so abruptly that Chloe almost ran into the back of him.

"We're here," he announced, nodding at a spot a few metres in front of them.

"There's nothing there."

"That's because I hid it from view," Wyatt explained, then recited a quick spell under his breath, the words of which she couldn't quite catch.

The effect of it she did notice though. This area of the beach was suddenly illuminated with hundreds of flickering candles and a large blanket was spread out on the sand in front of them. She laughed. "You made me get all dressed up for a picnic on the beach?"

"It's not just any picnic," Wyatt told her cryptically, as he moved forward and started to uncover the food.

"Smoked salmon and pink champagne, no I'd say you're right about that," Chloe commented, joining him on the blanket.

She was starting to get a funny feeling inside. This was no ordinary night out, she suddenly realised. He'd obviously put a lot of effort into organising this…

"Wyatt…" she said, the stirring butterflies in her stomach taking flight as the thought processes in her brain finally connected and joined the dots – Chris's odd behaviour, Wyatt's uncharacteristic skittishness… oh god!

Wyatt stopped what he was doing and looked carefully at her. "This is not in the schedule…," he joked nervously. "You're supposed to wait until dessert."

Chloe's heart skipped a beat as she realised that her growing suspicions were more than likely correct.

"I always did prefer starters," she said lightly and then immediately thought to herself in a panic, 'Oh God! What the hell am I encouraging him for? I don't know what I'm going to say yet.'

"Breathe," Wyatt leant forward and whispered in her ear, his blue eyes filled with gentle amusement.

Chloe giggled tremulously. "Sorry, I uhh… well, you're not the only one with sweaty palms now," she confessed.

"Come here," Wyatt said, holding out his hands towards her.

Chloe complied so that she was kneeling opposite him on the blanket, her fingers entwined with his.

"You know that I love you, right?" Wyatt began.

Chloe nodded. "I love you too."

"Well at least that's one thing in my favour," Wyatt quipped, making her giggle again.

He smiled at her and then carried on. "Look – I know some guys would have this big flowery speech prepared, but I… All I know is I love you and want to be with you always. So I, umm…"

He stopped and fished around in his back pocket, then placed a velvet jewellery box in her curled up fingers. Chloe looked down at it, then up into his blue eyes, suddenly knowing what her answer would be. She didn't need to think about it – she just knew.

Wyatt squeezed her fingers gently, then drew in a deep breath and plunged on. "You are just… well, everything I ever wanted, I guess. I... will you marry me?" he asked simply.

Chloe smiled at him, tears sparking in her eyes. "Yes," she whispered softly in reply.

"Well that's a relief," Wyatt unintentionally remarked. "Sorry," he quickly apologised. "That wasn't very romantic was it?"

Chloe laughed, letting go of the tension that his unexpected proposal had stirred in her. "Maybe not, but it was very you," she said, pulling him towards her and kissing him full on the lips.

They made out for a long, blissful time, reaffirming their words of commitment with this more physical expression of love. When she finally became aware of her surroundings again, Chloe wasn't quite sure how she ended up lying underneath him on blanket, her hair coming undone from its 'up' style and curling around her face. It didn't really matter anyway; all that mattered was this moment.

"The ring!" Wyatt suddenly exclaimed, scrabbling around on the blanket looking for the errant jewellery box. "I can't believe I forgot the ring."

"It's not really a big deal," she assured him. "You proposed, I said yes, that's the most important thing."

"Right – so you don't want it then," Wyatt said, regarding her with laughter shining in his blue eyes.

"Well…," Chloe backtracked. "Maybe it's a little bit of a big deal…"

Wyatt laughed, and then flipped open the box and presented it to her. "I hope you like it – if you don't we can always swap it…"

"It's beautiful," Chloe interrupted. "Simple, classy. I love it."

Relieved that his choice was a success, Wyatt lifted the ring out of the box and slid it onto her engagement finger.

"There, see," she breathed. "The perfect fit. Just like you and me…" She paused. "Okay so that was really sappy, wasn't it?"

Wyatt bent to bestow a soft and gentle kiss on her lips. "It's still the truth," he murmured, brushing a wayward strand of her hair out of her eyes before leaning in to kiss her a second time.

"There's just one problem," he said a short while later as he handed her a celebratory glass of champagne.

"What?"

"I don't know what we're going to do for dessert now," he said, winking suggestively at her.

Taking a sip of her champagne, Chloe looked coyly at him over the rim of her glass. "I'm sure we'll think of something," she assured him…

_**Back in the present…**_

"What are you daydreaming about?"

Almost jumping out of her skin, Chloe looked up to find Wyatt standing over her, his hair still damp from his shower.

"The night you gave me this," she said, pointing to the square-cut diamond on her finger.

"Well good - just as long as it's not another man."

"Actually I was think that maybe I agreed to marry the wrong brother," Chloe teased.

"Funny," Wyatt shot back sarcastically.

"I thought so," she returned, then laughed a sunny musical sound. "Don't worry; I'm hopelessly addicted to you for some strange reason."

Bracing his hands against the arms of her chair, Wyatt leaned over her, his face hovering centimetres from hers. "And I should think so too," he said and then kissed her soundly on the lips.

**OOOOOO**

"Hey Mom!"

Emily looped her arms around her mother's shoulders and hugged her affectionately.

"Hey sweetie," Bella Hargreaves replied, fondly returning her daughter's embrace.

Emily stepped back. "Dad wouldn't come, huh?" she asked, her gaze dropping to her feet.

Bella sighed. "I tried talking to him. You just need to be a bit more patient…"

"Patient! You don't think that ten months of walking around on eggshells is patient enough?"

"Honey, I know it's hard to understand, but your Dad does have his reasons for being the way that he is."

"Like what? Blind prejudice?"

"No, it has to do with how we first met," her mother replied. Emily looked up, surprised by this unexpected admission.

"But I can't tell you anymore than that," Bella went on, "So please don't ask me. It's not my story to tell and I promised I wouldn't say anything. Look - I know it seems like he's being completely unreasonable, but I assure you there are extenuating circumstances."

Emily nodded. "Okay." She sighed and then a horrible thought occurred to her. "This isn't causing trouble between the two of you, is it?"

Her Mom didn't answer straightaway and Emily felt her stomach sink in horror. "Mom…"

"This is not your fault," Bella cut in firmly. "We've had our ups and downs before – we'll get through it."

"I should try to be more accommodating…"

"No, Emily."

"I don't to be the cause of strife between you, Mom. Maybe I should make more of an effort like you do."

"That's my choice. I'm his wife, you're his daughter, there's a difference. Besides, it wasn't so much for me to give up. For you, it is. You have a lot of talent. You shouldn't waste it."

"What?" Emily scoffed. "Me talented? Yeah right."

"No, I mean it. You've only been doing this for a few months and already you're more powerful than I could ever hope to be. You have your great-grandmother's gift, Emily."

Emily stared at her Mom incredulously, not quite believing what she was hearing. The other woman seemed perfectly serious though. "But I…"

"Chloe says Wyatt values your assistance."

"Yes but anyone could do that…"

Bella laughed. "What be Wyatt Halliwell's potion-maker? I don't think so. For one, there aren't that many of us around and even less who are talented enough. You think it's a coincidence that you've always been drawn to San Francisco?"

Emily shook her head. "But I haven't…"

"Even as a little girl, you were fascinated by pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge," Bella pointed out.

Emily looked at her mother, remembering how she'd once thought the same thing, even suggested to Wyatt that their lives were meant to cross paths when he'd questioned how easily both he and Chris had confided in her so soon after they first met.

"You don't really believe that," she accused her mother, still not quite ready to accept what the older woman was saying.

"Honey – I honestly don't know what I believe. All I know is that I've never seen you so grounded, so sure of yourself and who you are. It was as if you were searching for something before, but now I think you've found it – among other things."

"What 'other things'?"

"A certain close relative of your cousin's fiancé perhaps?" Bella suggested archly. "The one you spent most of last night's party talking to?"

Emily flushed. She'd never confided in her Mom about Chris, she didn't really know why. Maybe it was because her father had always been the bigger issue where her immediate family was concerned.

"We're just friends," she said defensively.

"But you want more." It wasn't a question.

"Yes but there are… circumstances. The timing is…bad. The timing's always been bad."

"And is it worth waiting until the timing is right?"

Emily shot her Mom a bashful, sidelong glance. "Yeah, I think so."

"Well, in that case," Bella said, linking her arm affectionately through her daughter's as they walked side by side down the street. "I suggest you hang on in there and see which way the cookie crumbles."

Emily shook her head and smiled. Her Mom had a way with words sometimes, but she was usually right…

**OOOOOO**

"Hey! You're back." Chris looked up from his book as his brother orbed into the apartment later that evening.

"Where's Chloe?" he asked, noticing that Wyatt was alone.

"Downstairs with Emily," his brother said, sitting down in the armchair directly opposite where Chris was lounging on the sofa. "She's going back to LA soon."

Chris nodded. "Are you going to take her home?"

"Well, I was," Wyatt replied, before shooting his younger sibling a speculative look, his blue eyes gently teasing, "Unless of course you want to do the honours."

Chris shifted uncomfortably. "I, uhh… maybe I shouldn't. We've reached an understanding of sorts, but I think we both need a little time to digest it."

Wyatt nodded, understanding his brother's wariness, which brought him onto something he'd been meaning to mention since the previous afternoon. "Umm, Bianca came round yesterday – while you were helping Mom with the party food."

"Oh?" Chris swung his legs down from the couch and sat up, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands.

Wyatt nodded. "She brought me and Chloe an engagement present. Said she didn't think it was a good idea for her to come to the party."

Chris nodded solemnly. "Was she, err… did she seem okay?"

"You've not seen her?"

Chris shook his head. "Not for over a week, no. We thought it best to keep our distance for a while, let the dust settle so to speak."

Wyatt nodded. "She wasn't quite her normal self, but she seemed to be handling things reasonably well. I mean, she must have seen it coming, right?"

"Yes and no," Chris replied, scrubbing his hands over his face and his fingers through his hair. "I suppose we reached the end of the road a while ago, but I still think the final decision came as a shock to her. She was more upset than I thought she'd be."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Are you okay? I mean, mine and Chloe's engagement has kind of taken over recently, hasn't it? You and Bianca – it's all been rather pushed aside."

Chris's lips curled up into a small smile. "You sound like Mom and Dad," he said. "I had to escape this morning before they drowned me in sympathy."

Wyatt grinned. "I think they're allowed to worry about you," he said.

"I know – but I'm okay."

"Honestly," he added off his brother's slightly dubious look. "It's hard sometimes, but it's a relief too. I've been carrying all this tension around inside of me for months now and it's good to let it go. I feel… free, I guess. Sad yes, but strangely liberated too. I still think about Bianca a lot, but I know I made the right decision to end our relationship."

Wyatt nodded. "And Emily?" he prompted.

"Emily… well, I'm noticing her more," Chris replied with a self-depreciating grin, recalling the surge of attraction he'd felt when he'd seen her standing there this morning looking utterly adorable in her modest, but surprisingly sexy pyjamas.

"Right," Wyatt said with a roll of his eyes. "And we won't go there…"

Chris laughed and then turned serious again. "But everything is still up in the air and I don't want to rush things."

"One step at a time, huh?"

"Exactly. We've hardly spoken for months. I think we need some time to get to know each other again as friends before… well, before anything else happens."

"And you've explained this properly to Emily?"

"Is that you talking or Chloe?" Chris asked with a knowing look.

"Both actually," Wyatt answered. "I care about her too, you know."

Chris nodded his head in acknowledgment of that fact. "It may not have been said in so many words," he replied, "But yeah, she knows."

_**To be continued…**_

**

* * *

Re: Leo running Magic School.** He's still in an Elder in this story, as season seven didn't really happen in my Charmed world. I figured that after Gideon and the other Chris, he wouldn't want to go back 'up there' though, so this seemed the right place for him. 


	25. Green Eyes

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hello – here is the next part for you to read. Hope you enjoy. Please note the time-jump at the start of the chapter.

Thanks for the reviews – I've replied to any signed ones using the new reply system.

**

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Chapter 25 **

Two months on and Emily was happily settled back in San Francisco, while the preparations for the wedding were in full swing. Chloe still hadn't found a dress however, much to her increasing agitation.

"Relax, you'll find it," Emily had assured her cousin the previous day, when she'd had to talk her out of yet another panic attack.

"The wedding is in eight weeks, Emily. Eight weeks! I can't believe I let Wyatt talk me into getting married so soon. We should have waited a bit longer, given ourselves more time to finalise the details. The whole thing is turning into a complete disaster!"

"Chloe! Will you calm down? Everything is going according to plan. The only thing you haven't got is the dress and we will find the right one, I promise you, even if we have to conjure it ourselves."

There had been a knock on the door then, and Emily had opened it to find the Charmed Ones standing shoulder-to-shoulder outside in the corridor, all with self-satisfied smiles on their faces.

"Wyatt mentioned you were having trouble finding a dress," Phoebe said to Chloe, once the three of them had been invited inside.

"Umm…," Chloe shot Emily a 'help me' look. "I suppose I have been getting a bit testy with him," she admitted apologetically. "I know it's not his fault."

"Relax, that's not why we're here," Paige said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Piper's always been determined that her boys should have as normal a life as possible, so Wyatt will just have to put up with a stressed out wife-to-be. It's bridegroom tradition, isn't it?"

"We've come to offer our help actually," Piper took over the narrative, ignoring her sister's light-hearted jibe. "Paige had a similar problem when she was getting married and we hit upon the perfect solution."

"Oh?"

"We widened our search a bit," Paige continued.

"Yeah," Phoebe cut in nostalgically. "You know to New York, Paris, London… Orbing is such a great shopping aid."

Emily and Chloe laughed and exchanged slightly disbelieving looks.

"You're serious?" Chloe asked her fiancé's youngest Aunt, a faint hope bubbling up inside her.

"Uh-huh," Paige replied with a nod and grin. "There's just one condition."

"Which is?"

"Me and Piper get to come along too," Phoebe virtually squealed, sounding for all the world like her teenage daughter rather than her fifty-something self. "It was so much fun."

Feeling some of the tension inside ease, Chloe smiled. "Okay, you're on."

The global wedding dress hunt was planned for the following weekend. Today was Friday of the previous week however and tonight, Emily and Chloe, along with Wyatt and Chris, were meeting up with a group of friends for the evening. Pizza followed by P3 was the order of the day – a simple and relaxed night out. In one way and another, it had been a stressful week for each of them, so they were all looking forward to the opportunity to let their hair down a bit.

Chris and Emily's friendship had continued unabated in the intervening months since Wyatt and Chloe's engagement party. The slight awkwardness that lingered between them had been banished within a couple of weeks, and since then they'd spent their time getting to know each other properly again. Emily was aware that they were probably in each other's company more than was strictly normal for two people who were 'just good friends,' but she was happy with the way things were for now. It was relaxed and unforced, which was the main thing. Overall, things were going well.

"Are you girls ready yet?" Wyatt asked somewhat plaintively, as the two cousins wandered into the living room of his and Chloe's apartment after having spent the last twenty minutes in the bathroom putting the finishing touches to their hair and make-up.

"Yes," Chloe told him with a roll of her eyes. "Don't we have to wait for Chris though?"

"Nah," Wyatt shook his head. "He said he'd meet us there."

He held out his hands towards the two young women, and then orbed them to a deserted backstreet just around the corner from the pizza restaurant where they were going to eat. The little bistro had that traditional, familiar feel and was a big favourite of both Chris and Wyatt's. The two witch-whitelighters were on good terms with the owners, which usually secured them the privilege of the best table in the house.

With the exception of Chris, all their friends were waiting for them when they arrived. Firstly, there was Phoebe's daughter, Prue and her boyfriend Adam - while Emily had been in LA, Chloe had befriended the younger girl, opening Chris and Wyatt's eyes to the fact that their eldest cousin, at nineteen, was no longer the bratty teenager that she used to be and was instead growing up into a mature and witty young woman.

Alongside Prue and Adam sat Sam, a mortal friend of Wyatt's, and his girlfriend, Stephanie. As far as Emily understood, these two had inadvertently gotten caught up in a demon attack two years back and had discovered Wyatt's secret in the process. Rather than freaking out though, they'd taken the news in their stride and their friendship with the eldest Halliwell had progressed from there.

Completing the merry little group was Bianca's friend, Sarah's now ex boyfriend, Ryan, and Mark and Grace, a pair of brother and sister witches that Chris and Wyatt often called upon to help out in a crisis.

"Where's Chris?" Prue asked as they sat down.

"He'll be here in a minute," Wyatt replied. "Umm Benito?" He called over the waiter. "We'll be plus one, is that okay?"

Emily shot a questioning look at Chloe as Benito obligingly went away to fetch another place setting. Her cousin shrugged, obviously not in the loop. A sense of unease curled in Emily's belly, one that she found difficult to shake off. A few minutes later, this perturbed feeling was compounded by the arrival of Chris and their mystery guest.

Because Wyatt was being deliberately vague about the identity of their extra dinner companion, they all looked up sharply when the bell over the door tinkled, announcing the arrival of more customers. Moments later, Chris ushered an attractive young woman into the restaurant ahead of him and Emily's heart sank like a stone in water.

The girl was about her own age, tall, slender with glossy, dark brown hair that fell like a silk curtain down her back. Her facial features were delicate, while her huge, almond-shaped eyes were an even more striking shade of green than Chris's were. She reminded Emily of a cat – she had that same sleek, polished look about her.

"Hi everyone!" Chris greeted them all with a smile. "Umm, this is Heather."

"Hi!" Heather said, giving them all a jaunty little wave before she turned her emerald gaze back onto Chris.

"Heather's a new teacher at Magic School - just started today," the dark-haired witch-whitelighter explained. "Me and Wyatt thought we'd invite her along tonight so she didn't get stuck having dinner with all those stuffy and boring Elders."

"I'll tell Uncle Leo you said that," Prue threatened as Chris and Heather sat down opposite her and Adam.

"This is my cousin, Prue," Chris said to his companion. "You'll have to excuse her. She was conceived just to annoy me."

Heather laughed and Emily decided then and there that she hated the woman with a passion that was blinding. As the evening went on, that feeling only intensified. Stuck at the opposite end of the table with Wyatt, Chloe, Sam and Stephanie, she only caught snippets of the conversation going on between the others, but there seemed to be an inordinate amount of laughter coming from them in her opinion.

Unable to tear her gaze away, Emily watched through narrowed eyes as Heather tossed her hair back over one shoulder and smiled flirtatiously up at Chris as he cracked yet another outlandish joke. Abruptly pushing her chair back, she got to her feet and stalked off in the direction of the bathroom, unable to contain her spiralling anger any longer.

"Arghh!" she said, slamming the rest room door behind her with such force that it creaked ominously on its hinges.

She sucked in a deep breath and tried to calm down, knowing that she was overreacting. The door opened and Chloe entered, her arms folded over her chest and her eyebrows raised in silent question.

"I'm sorry," Emily said. "I just…" She huffed out her breath from between her lips and threw up her arms in frustration.

Chloe laughed and shook her head, bringing her hand to her face in amused exasperation.

"It's not funny!" Emily reproached.

"Don't you think you're being a touch melodramatic?"

"You wouldn't be saying that if it was Wyatt she was making goo-goo eyes at!" Emily retorted hotly.

"Probably not," Chloe admitted, "But you need to relax before you embarrass yourself. Chris isn't doing anything wrong."

"No, he's just being all 'Mr Entertainment,'" Emily said, sarcastically crooking her fingers into quote marks.

"He's always like that," Chloe calmly pointed out. "It's nothing out of the ordinary."

That took some of the wind out of Emily's sails. Her cousin was right – Chris was always the life and soul of the party. "He hasn't said two words to me all evening," she said in a dejected tone. "I can't go through all this again, Chloe. I just can't!"

"And now you're being silly," her cousin told her in an irritated tone. "So what if this Heather woman is making a play for him? Just go back out there and beat her at her own game."

"I… I can't."

"Of course you can," Chloe said briskly. "Don't be stupid. Now come on – pull yourself together. We're leaving for P3 in a minute."

As Emily followed Chloe back into the restaurant, she could not share her cousin's relentless optimism however. There was a kind of an unwritten, unspoken agreement between her and Chris – that he would be the one to make the first move when – or if – it was time to take their friendship to the next level. He held all the power in that sense; she was just waiting in the wings for her cue to take centre stage. If she tried to push things prematurely, she could destroy the established trust between the two of them.

Sunk in abject misery, she was barely aware of them leaving the restaurant and orbing as a group into the backroom at P3 to avoid the queue. All she could think of was that her heart was about to be thwarted again. Would the timing ever be right? Was she wasting her time with Chris all over again? Why was life always so damn unfair? She didn't deserve this, did she?

"One Charmed and Dangerous," she vaguely heard Chris say as she stared blankly into her lap. So he was bringing the wonderful Heather special drinks now, was he?

"Emily!"

"Huh?" She looked up confused. Chris was holding a cocktail glass containing a pink-coloured drink out towards her.

"For me?" she asked stupidly.

"Your name's Emily, right?" Chris enquired.

Emily's mood lifted a little at the lightly teasing note in his voice. "Last time I checked, yeah," she replied.

"Then it's for you," he confirmed as he sat down in the empty seat next to her.

Feeling somewhat better, Emily sipped at her drink, letting the alcohol infuse her with a warm, fuzzy glow.

"So how did the presentation go?" Chris asked after taking a long swig from his bottle of beer.

"Presentation?" Emily said puzzled.

"The 'lessons learned from the new office in LA' thing," Chris clarified. "That was today, right?"

"Oh right, yeah. It went fine, I think. They didn't all erupt into laughter so I guess that was something."

"So nude or underwear?" Chris asked.

Emily almost choked on her drink. "W-what?"

Chris chuckled at her shocked tone, his green eyes twinkling merrily. "Did you picture your audience in the nude or in their underwear to combat the nerves?" he said. "What did you think I meant?"

Flushing pink, Emily punched him lightly on the arm in retaliation. "You did that on purpose," she accused.

"Yeah, but it was funny." Chris shot her an amused, sidelong glance and lifted the bottle to his lips again.

Emily observed him quietly as he tipped his head back and took another swallow of his drink. Her heart felt considerably lighter knowing that he had deliberately sought her out to talk to her, but she was still very conscious of the fact that she possibly had a rival for his affections.

"So what does Heather teach?" she asked, trying to keep her voice light and conversational, and yet needing to know what he thought of this new person in his life.

"A mixture of subjects," Chris replied rather vaguely. "She's a witch, but she also trained as a teacher in the mortal world, so she can take classes from both sides of the curriculum. She's not what I expected actually. When Dad mentioned that he'd recruited a new teacher a few weeks ago, I didn't take all that much notice to be honest."

'What and you're taking notice now, are you?' Emily thought to herself jealously.

"I just assumed that she'd be well, older, I guess," Chris continued, oblivious to his companion's green-eyed internal musings. "It'll be good to have a colleague of around my own age for once."

"You have Wyatt," Emily was quick to point out.

"Well yeah, but I rarely see him at school. He just orbs in and out to take his classes most of the time. He doesn't really get involved in much of the other stuff that goes on around the place. Except for the yearly recital – he does usually help to organise that."

"Yearly recital?" Emily enquired.

"You know like a school concert thing where all the parents come to watch? They have them at mortal schools too, don't they?"

Emily nodded. "Yes, but I never imagined Magic School holding an event like that though. It's just so… normal, I guess."

Chris smiled. "Unfortunately, parents are the same the world over. They all love to come and witness their kids performing some musical number really badly in the name of entertainment. Even my Mom and Dad are sadly affected, it's a universal affliction of their kind - whether they have a magical background or not. The picture of me and Wyatt dressed as a lion and a bumble bee at one such event still has pride of place on the mantle at home, I'm sorry to say."

"And which one were you?" Emily asked archly, unable to resist teasing him.

"The bumble bee of course - what else? Wyatt always got the best parts."

Emily smiled. "And of course that wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that he's a year and a half older than you?"

"Quite possibly," Chris replied, acknowledging that truth with a slight incline of his head. "But, personally, I prefer to think of myself as being hard done by."

He grinned at her to show he wasn't serious and Emily laughed. Their eyes met and, all of a sudden, there was a subtle shift in the atmosphere between them. Gazing into the depths of his smiling eyes, Emily was struck by a strong and almost irresistible compulsion to lean forward and kiss him, and she had to look away to stop herself from giving into that urge. Trying to divorce herself from the addictive pull of Chris's presence alongside her, she fixed her gaze on Mark and Grace instead, who were chatting easily with Sam and Stephanie nearby.

It didn't really work – she was acutely aware of his movements as he fidgeted in his seat next to her, and her heart performed a complete somersault when she heard him clear his throat as if preparing to say something. He didn't speak though and she thought that maybe she'd imagined it – until his hand closed over hers, sending delicious tingles of anticipation up and down her spine.

Her heart thumping like a bass drum in her chest, she docilely followed as Chris silently tugged her to her feet and began to wend his way through the milling crowd towards the back office of the club…

"Hey Chris, Emily! Over here!"

Emily looked around to find Ryan moving with quick, purposeful strides towards them, Heather following in his wake. "You want to dance?" he asked Emily, nodding over his shoulder at the heaving dance floor behind him.

Emily stared at him, dumbfounded. Was he mad? Couldn't he see that…? Her thoughts ground to a halt as she realised the warm pressure of Chris's fingers around hers had gone.

"I, err…," she stammered, her mind working furiously to come up with a suitably polite refusal.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Heather look expectantly towards Chris and her brain instantly froze. Taking her hesitancy as a yes, Ryan caught her by the hand and began to lead her over to the dance floor. She immediately started to pull away, but then saw Chris smile and nod at Heather and the bottom fell out of her world. How could he?

"Are you okay?" Ryan said in her ear.

"Oh, umm, yeah," she quickly replied, her eyes still on Chris and Heather as they began to dance together nearby.

Ryan chuckled as he followed her gaze. "I figured I'd give them a helping hand," he said. "I've just been talking to her and the conversation kept returning to Chris with alarming frequency. She seems rather interested in him and he's single now so… well, I'm sure you catch my drift. Not that I didn't actually want to dance with you, of course, but I have to admit I did have an ulterior motive in asking."

Emily looked up into Ryan's face, searching for any evidence of foul play in his expression. He seemed perfectly sincere though and she was shocked to the core. She thought everyone knew about her feelings for Chris. She was so sure that they must be blindingly obvious whenever she was in his company. Apparently not however.

"It's been nearly three months now since he and Bianca broke up," Ryan continued. "It'll do him good to get back out there again. You're his best friend – I'm sure you agree with me."

"His best friend?" Emily asked falteringly.

"Yeah, that's what he always refers to you as. Well, just lately anyway. Didn't you know?"

Under normal circumstances, Emily would have found that fact extremely heart-warming but right now, it simply turned her insides into ice. His friend – was that all she was ever destined to be?

She looked over at him and Heather again – they looked good together, there was no denying that. Heather was much more his type than she herself was, she realised with a sickening jolt. Although definitely not a clone of his previous girlfriend, the other woman had far more in common with Bianca than Emily had. They were both tall, stunningly beautiful brunettes for a start – something Emily couldn't ever hope to be.

And yet, could she have really read Chris's intentions so wrong? Yes, he treated her like a close friend, but there was more to it than that, she was sure of it. He flirted with her – more and more these last few weeks. And just now, if Ryan and Heather hadn't intercepted them… Perhaps she was imagining it though; perhaps he'd just wanted to let her down gently. Tell her away from prying eyes that he'd changed his mind, that there was no hope of anything more than friendship between them after all.

She felt suddenly, inexplicably angry with him. If that was the case then he'd played her, willingly let her believe something that wasn't true. She'd have never have thought it of him, but maybe he wasn't the decent guy that she'd always believed him to be. Maybe she'd been okay as a substitute, but now that someone better had come along, she was to be unceremoniously cast aside like an item of worn-out clothing.

She glowered angrily at him and, with a shock, realised that he was looking back at her, rather than down at Heather, as he had been doing previously. She immediately broke their gaze, determined not to give him the satisfaction of seeing that he was getting to her. Instead, she turned her attention back to her dance partner and smiled warmly up at him. Here was a guy who was good-looking, friendly - and single now that he had broken up with Sarah. Maybe he was a better prospect than someone who deliberately manipulated other people's feelings for their own pleasure.

For the rest of the evening, Emily flitted about amongst her friends, playing the role of social facilitator to perfection whilst avoiding any further contact with Chris. It was only when she was back home, alone in her own bed that she finally allowed herself to cry…

**OOOOOO**

_**The Manor, the following day…**_

"It has to be in here somewhere," Wyatt said, turning over the pages of the Book of Shadows, looking for the demon that had attacked him and his brother as they walked through the door of their parent's home.

It was family dinner night tonight and they had arrived early to help their Mom with the mountain of cooking required to feed the extensive Halliwell brood. Piper was still out completing the grocery shopping however, while Leo was nowhere to be seen – presumably 'up there' consulting with his fellow Elders, or else at Magic School fulfilling his headmaster duties, despite the fact that it was the weekend.

"Were the markings on his face black or blue?" he asked his younger brother, who was sitting on the sofa nearby, lost in thought. "CHRIS!"

"Huh?" Chris jumped and looked over at his sibling. "Umm… blue, I think."

"What is wrong with you?" Wyatt demanded. "You've been on another planet all day."

"Nothing," Chris said shortly, but his brother wasn't fooled in the slightest.

"Pull the other one, bro," he rejoined.

"It's nothing, it's just… Emily."

"What about her?"

"Well it's not really her so much – it's more her and Ryan."

Wyatt bit back the urge to laugh. Couldn't his brother see the girl was head over heels in love with him? "Chris, come on – there is no Emily and Ryan."

"That's not what it looked like last night. She was flirting like crazy with him while I was dancing with Heather. I saw them."

"Okay – so backtrack a bit there. You were dancing with Heather? Are you completely insane?"

"Well, Emily agreed to dance with Ryan and she asked me – I could hardly say no, could I?"

"Did Emily actually agree to dance with Ryan or did he steamroller her into it?" Wyatt asked astutely.

"She didn't say no," Chris said defensively.

"But did she actually say yes?"

"Umm, I don't… I guess…"

"Which means no," Wyatt finished, cutting through his brother's rambling reply. "So, let me get this straight – Ryan asked Emily to dance. She didn't refuse quick enough so you agreed to dance with Heather - who, incidentally, so obviously has the hots for you a blind man would be able to see it. Then Emily, quite understandably given the circumstances, retaliated by pretending to flirt with Ryan in front of you. Am I right so far?"

Suddenly seeing things a whole lot more clearly, Chris didn't answer, simply nodded, feeling somewhat foolish now.

"Geez Chris!" Wyatt exclaimed with a roll of his eyes. "I thought we graduated from High School years ago."

"It wasn't like that," Chris protested weakly. "You make it all sound so childish."

"Isn't it?"

"No, it's just I was going to… and then Ryan and Heather interrupted…" He stopped and sighed. "I guess it threw us both for a loop," he admitted.

"You were going to what?" Wyatt asked with a knowing look.

"Forget it – I get the picture," he continued when Chris gazed steadily back at him. "Look, if you want my advice, I think it's time for you to lay a few more cards on the table. Putting things on hold was a sensible decision, but with everything that happened before, Emily is bound to be jumpy and over defensive now. I'm not saying you should rush things, but it's not fair to keep her guessing for much longer either. It's been over two months now."

"I know – I just want the timing to be right."

"Right for what?" Wyatt replied in exasperation. "You don't have to be ready to marry her before you take things further you know. Just ask her out on an official date - dinner and a movie maybe. It doesn't have to be anything heavy, for god's sake."

Chris grimaced. "I hate it when you're all Mr Sensible," he complained good-naturedly.

"I have to be when you're making this more complicated than it has to be," Wyatt retorted.

"I suppose I'm not really very experienced at the dating game," Chris mused thoughtfully. "I mean, there's only ever been Carolyn and Bianca."

Wyatt nodded. He'd never looked at it like that before. He'd always seen Chris as the more experienced of the two of them, seeing as he was the one who had had a girlfriend for the greater length of time. His brother had dated Carolyn, his High School Sweetheart for three years until he was nineteen, and then met Bianca a year and a half later. There'd been a couple of brief flings and a few one-off dates in between these two long-term relationships, but that had been all.

Wyatt, on the other hand, had played the field a lot more until he had met Tara. Up to that point, none of his relationships had lasted more than a few months, but he'd been with Tara for over a year. Afterwards, he'd almost been put off women for life and had avoided any potential new girlfriends like the plague. His self-imposed dating drought only ended when his Aunt Phoebe finally managed to persuade him that giving up on love wasn't the answer to his trust issues.

Although it had driven him up the wall at the time, he was sincerely glad that she'd kept on at him about it now. He didn't like to think what would have happened if he'd still been thinking that way when he had met Chloe. He probably would have pushed her away and the thought of being without her was… well, there were no words. She was the love of his life; he wasn't afraid to admit that. He couldn't wait for her to be his wife. Marriage had a sense of permanence about it that living together just didn't, and he was looking forward to having that security in his life.

"I don't imagine she'll actually ever speak to me again of course," he heard Chris say, which prompted him to turn his attention back to his brother's problem.

"Just go and talk to her, okay?" he said. "The longer you leave it, the worse it'll get."

"But what about the demon?"

"It didn't look too ferocious; I think I can handle it by myself. If I need help, I'll ask Mom when she gets home."

"And the cooking?"

"I'll cover for you. Just go." Wyatt waved his hand dismissively. "And don't forget to grovel."

Chris nodded and rose purposely to his feet. Briefly closing his eyes, he sensed for Emily's whereabouts, then orbed out after finding her at home. Smiling to himself, Wyatt returned to searching through the Book of Shadows for the demon…

_**Emily's apartment…**_

When Chris appeared unexpectedly in her living room, the mug of coffee that Emily had been holding in her hand dropped to the floor, hot liquid spilling over the cream carpet and staining it brown in an instant.

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" she stormed angrily.

"I didn't think you'd let me in."

"Well you got that right," Emily snapped back, turning towards the kitchen to get a cloth to mop up the mess.

"Leave it."

"It'll stain!"

"Nothing a little magical cleaning can't fix," Chris said calmly.

"What do you want anyway?"

"To talk to you – about last night."

"There's nothing to say."

"Well I think there is."

"Well I don't!"

"Look - I got angry when you didn't say no to Ryan, okay?"

Her fury giving way to stunned disbelief, Emily stopped and stared at him in amazement. "W-what? But I didn't…,"

"Say yes either," Chris finished for her. "Yeah, Wyatt pointed that out to me too. I can be kind of dumb sometimes though."

"And Heather…"

"More evidence of my stupidity," Chris cut in.

"So, y-you don't like her?"

"Emily…"

"Don't Emily me! How am I supposed to know? You never…" Emily stopped and sighed, looking down at her feet. "How am I supposed to know?" she repeated in a soft, questioning tone.

Frowning slightly, Chris studied the top of her bent, flame-coloured head. Wyatt was right. It wasn't fair to keep her guessing anymore. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he shoved aside the sudden bout of nerves roiling in his stomach and took the plunge.

"Are you doing anything Wednesday night?" he asked.

Emily looked up at him, baffled by the seeming change in subject. "No. Why?"

"Well, I thought that we could… err, go out to dinner or something."

Emily was silent for a moment as she digested this, and then she spoke again. "You mean just the two of us?" she queried hesitantly.

Chris nodded. "Yes."

"Like… like a date?"

A slow smile spread across Chris's face, her uncertainty was positively endearing. "Like a date," he confirmed with another nod.

"So?" he prompted when she failed to reply.

Emily smiled shyly at him, a delicate blush staining her cheeks. "Okay," she agreed.

"Good that's settled then. I'll pick you up at seven. And I'm sorry about last night, okay?"

"Yeah, me too. I was...," she hesitated, embarrassed to admit how insanely jealous she'd been.

"Let's just agree that we both acted like kids in a playground and leave it at that, huh?" Chris suggested.

"I can do that," Emily concurred with relief.

"Glad to hear it," Chris said, shooting her a lop-sided grin that she couldn't help but return. "I err… I should go. Demon attack, family dinner thing – I'm supposed to be helping. I'll see you Wednesday, yeah?"

Emily nodded. "Wednesday," she agreed.

"Right. So till then, then," Chris said, nodding in farewell before he orbed out in a swirl of blue lights.

As the orb sounds faded into the distance, a big, cat-got-the-cream smile spread across Emily's face.

"Yes, till then," she murmured under her breath, and then turned and practically skipped into the kitchen as if she was walking on air…

_**To be continued…**_


	26. The Subtle Art of Dating

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Sorry for the slight delay in updating. Real life and work have been extremely hectic just lately, and I've been suffering from a touch of writer's block with both my stories as well :-(

I read this one through right from beginning to try to beat the block and get me back in the mood of writing it, and I can't believe how long it is! It's almost novel-sized already and will definitely be by the time I've finished it.

I'm also rereading False Memories because it seemed to cure the writer's block with this one, and that's almost as long too. I hadn't really realised that both of them had reached such an epic length until now. It's weird to think that I'll have written two novels by the time I've finished.

Anyhow, enough of my pointless rambling, let's continue on with the story...

P.S. Thanks for the reviews. I've answered the signed ones.with the reply system :-)

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Chapter 26

**_Magic School, three days later…_**

Wyatt jumped as the door to his office banged unceremoniously open, almost causing him to score a deep red line across the front page of Simone Johnson's perfectly acceptable homework assignment.

"Are you trying to ruin my life? Or is this some kind of really unfunny joke on your part?"

Chris flopped down in the plush, leather chair before the desk and eyed his brother with bitter resentment shining in his green eyes.

Wyatt was at a loss to understand what he'd done. "What are you talking about?"

"The recital!" Chris burst out as if that explained everything.

"What about it? I know I pulled out of the coordinating job this year but…"

"And Dad kindly volunteered me to take your place," Chris interjected in a complaining tone.

"So? If you can't be bothered to get off your lazy butt to do me a favour, then that's not my problem." Wyatt shot back, irritated now. "I didn't say I wouldn't help out anyway. It's just that the coordinating job takes a lot of extra time – time that I don't have to spare at the moment, not with the wedding so close. I don't think Chloe'd be very appreciative if I'm hardly at home right now, do you?"

Chris sighed and raked his fingers through his hair, making it stand on end. "Okay, so it's not your fault, but why can't my life be simple and uncomplicated for once? Is that really too much to ask?"

"Are you going to explain what the problem is, or am I supposed to guess?" Wyatt demanded, still non the wiser as to what his brother was lamenting over.

"It's not really the job that's the issue; it's more who I'll be sharing it with."

Wyatt frowned, confused why this was a problem. "Carmella Frost is okay. She's pretty cool for sixty-two year old if you ask me."

"Yeah – except that she pulled out this year too."

"She did? Oh right – her husband, I almost forgot. Of course she wouldn't want to be away from him right now."

"Can't you or Dad…?" Chris left the question hanging.

Wyatt shook his head, his expression sombre. "No, Dad says it's his time – we can't interfere. I think she's accepted it, even if the doctors haven't yet. She was saying that they were still trying to persuade them to attempt another course of chemotherapy."

Chris nodded and then sighed. "I'm sounding really petty and selfish now, aren't I?" he said. "Other people have much bigger problems than me. I could really do without this at the moment though."

"Do without what?" Wyatt asked in exasperation. "You're not making any sense, you do realise that?"

"Guess who wants to make a good impression on her new boss?" Chris said, getting to the salient point at long last.

Finally, Wyatt understood what his brother was so agitated over. "Heather."

"Heather," Chris concurred with an exaggerated grimace. "And don't you dare laugh," he added, when Wyatt's mouth immediately quirked up at the corners.

His brother chuckled despite the threat. "So did she volunteer her services before or after she knew that you'd been given the job?"

"Before, I think – it seemed to be a fait accompli when Dad told me earlier anyway. And that's another thing – why was I assigned the job, when anyone else would have been asked if they wanted to do it first? Talk about reverse nepotism."

"Well, you shouldn't have agreed to work here full-time, should you?" Wyatt replied unsympathetically. "In case you hadn't noticed, Dad's determined to groom you as his successor. You lost any leverage you had against that little scheme the moment you gave up the day job."

"Humph!" Chris responded in a disgruntled tone. "And it seemed like such a good idea at the time. If I'd known I'd be forced into a situation like this, I definitely would have thought twice about the decision."

Wyatt rolled his eyes. "Just tell her you're not interested…"

"Yeah – like that's not going to make things super awkward," Chris interrupted. "We still have to work together, you know."

"So be subtle about it then," Wyatt said. "Make it clear that you're dating Emily now. I mean, you are dating her, aren't you? You did ask her out on Saturday?"

Chris nodded. "We're going out to dinner tomorrow night."

"Well _finally_," his brother remarked.

"She's not going to be very happy."

"Why are you that bad a date?" Wyatt quipped with a grin.

"Ha! Ha!" Chris shot back sardonically. "I meant she's not going to be happy about me working with Heather on the recital."

Wyatt sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. "Probably not, but she's going to have to learn to trust you sometime, Chris. Just be upfront with her. Don't try to hide things whatever you do. That's a sure-fire recipe for disaster if ever there was one."

"And won't that just make a great first date conversation," Chris commented dryly.

"Yeah well, rather you than me, bro."

"Thanks for the sympathy – not."

Wyatt laughed. "Seriously though, if you want to make it beyond the first date, then lying to her is a very bad idea."

Chris nodded. "Don't worry, _Dad_. I'll be honest with her, I promise."

Wyatt wrinkled his nose in response to the 'Dad' jibe. "I do seem to be turning into your Agony Uncle lately, don't I? What's up with that?"

"You're my big brother – it comes with the territory."

"Well, if I'd known that was in the job description, I would have told Mom and Dad not to bother having sex again."

"_Please!_ So not needing that mental picture right now. I only just ate lunch."

Wyatt laughed at his brother's playful disgust and then glanced up at the clock on the wall.

"All right," he announced, "the 'Wyatt Halliwell counselling service' is closing for the day. I need to get this marking finished before my class tomorrow, so get going before I charge you extra. I promised Chloe she'd have my undivided attention this evening, so I have two choices: either I complete this now - or else I sleep on the sofa tonight."

"The former is definitely the preferred option in case you were wondering," he added pointedly when Chris showed no signs of leaving. Sitting forward, he picked up his pen again to emphasise his point.

"All right, I'm going," his brother said, finally taking the hint and rising to his feet. "Just be grateful that the only thing you need to worry about in your love life from now on is whether you get kicked out of bed or not."

Wyatt grinned. "I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think. Okay so Heather has set her sights on you, but she clearly wants to make the right impression in her new job as well. I can't see her being unprofessional about it."

"Hmm," Chris mused, not entirely convinced. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?"

**OOOOOO**

_**Wednesday, late afternoon…**_

Chloe pushed the doorbell and was startled when Emily opened the door almost straightaway, looking distinctly harassed and more than a little wild-eyed.

"Oh thank god you're here. You have to help me!" she exclaimed in a panic. Grabbing her hand, she dragged her through into the main bedroom. "I don't know what to wear!"

Chloe bit back a smile – the entire contents of Emily's closet were strewn about the room – lying on the bed, over the back of the easy chair by the window, hung on the door handle and even a few outfits in a crumpled heap on the floor.

"He said dinner," Emily rambled on, "but that could mean anything! I mean are we talking a fancy restaurant or the local diner? I don't know. He didn't say…"

"You could always call and ask him," Chloe said, interrupting her cousin's panicked musings with this sensible suggestion.

"I can't," Emily immediately refuted the idea. "I don't want him to think that I'm turning this date into a big deal, or that I'm subtly suggesting he take me somewhere that he's not comfortable with."

Chloe shook her head and laughed. "You worry too much about stuff like that, Emily."

"I know," Emily admitted candidly. "With anyone else I wouldn't be so unsure, but with Chris – I feel like I'm walking on eggshells half the time. It's like if I push things too far, he'll back off, but if I don't show that I'm sufficiently interested, he'll look the other way. Sometimes I don't know how to act for the best."

"Emily look – Chris asked you out remember? He wouldn't have done that if he didn't want to. And you said he was jealous of you dancing with Ryan the other night. What more proof do you need that he's genuinely interested in you? You need to relax and go with the flow for a while. Stop worrying about the rights and wrongs of how you should be acting and just enjoy it. I mean if anything is going to turn Chris off, then it's you being all obsessive over every detail."

"Like what to wear tonight," Emily suggested with a small, self-depreciating smile.

"Well, that's a first date tradition," Chloe said with a grin, "But I do think you might be going a little over the top with it all the same."

Emily felt the knotted ball of tension inside slowly begin to unwind at her cousin's sensible advice and gentle teasing. "I'm sorry – I guess I just want everything to be perfect. I've waited for this for so long."

"I know, but be careful not get your expectations too high, Emily. Chris is a normal guy, he's gonna make mistakes – as will you."

"I know; I'm not that unrealistic."

"Honestly," she added off her cousin's penetrating look.

Chloe nodded in satisfaction. "Good," she said. "As for the 'what to wear' dilemma… my future brother-in-law doesn't seem the fancy, high-class restaurant type if you ask me – unless it's for a really special occasion – so I think you can rule out the ball gown. I do think he'll go for something a bit more upmarket than the local diner though. This is a date after all, and his Aunts will have instructed him in the proper etiquette of that, just like they did with Wyatt."

Emily giggled. "Chloe!"

"Hey, I'm not criticizing, far from it. I think that sometimes we're a bit harsh on the opposite sex when it comes to dating. They may seem insensitive when they take us quad bike racing or something on a first date, but half the time I think they just don't realise what women want because nobody has ever explained it to them. Wyatt and Chris have grown up surrounded by women so they're not completely clueless like some. We struck gold in that respect, I guess."

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Emily nodded in agreement.

"Anyway, we're getting off the point," Chloe continued. "You don't want to look overdressed, but you do want to look like you've made an effort, so think smart casual with a dressy twist. First decision then, are we going for a skirt…?"

She bent down and picked up a beige mini-skirt off the floor that was so short that it looked like two strips of material sewn together. At her cousin's raised eyebrows, Emily hastened to explain.

"Okay so it's not me. Everyone in LA is so image conscious though, and they were in fashion so I…," she trailed off with a shrug. "I only wore it once – in front of the mirror in my apartment – I was never actually brave enough to go outside in it."

"Well good because I'm certainly not suggesting you wear it tonight, that's for sure. You want something that'll make Chris sit up and take notice, but that might be taking it rather too far. So anyway, skirt or pants?"

Emily considered it for a moment. "Pants, I think," she eventually decided.

"Right, so how about we go for something simple?" Chloe said, "And then dress it up with the top and accessories?"

Emily nodded in agreement and then watched as her cousin rifled through her clothes until she located a suitable pair of flatteringly cut black pants.

"Okay so now for the top half…"

"I usually wear that one with those pants," Emily replied, pointing to a cream lace-effect chemise.

Chloe immediately shook her head. "No, it's nice but it's too loose-fitting. You have a great figure, Emily; you ought to showcase it a bit more – subtly of course, you don't want to be too obvious."

Once again, she searched through Emily's clothes, locating the perfect candidate about half a minute later. "Wow! This is gorgeous," she exclaimed, lightly fingering the satiny material. "Where did you get it?"

"Umm – a little boutique in LA – I fell in love with it." Emily frowned. "You don't think it's too low cut?"

Chloe rolled her eyes at that. "Emily," she chided in a long-suffering tone. "It's not like it's down to your navel or anything. If you're really that worried, then put it on and let me be the judge."

Taking the garment from her cousin, Emily did as instructed, tossing her discarded t-shirt and bra – for the cut of the top didn't allow her to wear one - onto the bed beside her. Chloe smiled broadly when she looked enquiringly at her for her opinion on the result.

"It's perfect. It really suits you and that colour totally brings out your eyes, they look positively huge. Chris is gonna be so bowled over."

Several hours later, standing in front of her mirror, Emily had to admit that her cousin was right. The rich turquoise colour of the top did accentuate her eyes, an affect that she'd enhanced with some subtly applied make-up. The fitted bodice and thin straps showed off her curvy figure and toned upper arms to their best advantage. The v-shaped neckline was much more daring than she usually wore, but not so overly décolleté that she felt self-conscious about it. She also liked the fact that, while the bodice was fitted, the rest of the top flared out from just under her breasts, hiding what she believed to be her worst feature - her slightly rounded stomach.

All in all, it showed off her best features and concealed her worst – the perfect garment in fact. Dressed up with some high heels and chunky jewellery, Emily was more than satisfied with the outfit Chloe had picked out for her. It was still her, but had a subtle sexiness about it, which she liked.

This was a date after all, and she wanted Chris to view her as more than a friend now. The transition was going to take some getting used to, she knew, because they were secure in their relationship as it was. Moving it forward a step would break it out of those comfortable boundaries and into the unknown, which, while exciting, was also a little scary as well.

_Ding… Dong…_

Emily's heart leapt in her chest as the sound of the doorbell announced the arrival of her date. Drawing in a deep, steadying breath, she pushed her nerves aside and went to answer the door.

"Hi!" she said shyly.

Chris didn't answer straightaway; instead, he slowly and deliberately looked her up and down, quietly taking in her appearance. While his intense scrutiny was gratifying in a way, it was also agony as she awaited his verdict. Eventually it came…

"Wow!"

Emily blushed at the compliment and shivered at the low, gravely timbre of his voice, which sent tingles down her spine and woke up the butterflies slumbering in her stomach.

"You look great," Chris continued with a smile.

"You too," Emily said, finding her voice just in the nick of time.

He did look good, she noted, now that she could actually bring herself to look at him properly. The dark, forest green hue of his shirt brought out the striking colour of his eyes in the same way that the turquoise blue of her top did hers, and she smiled inwardly at each of them using the same method of enhancing what was, in both cases, one of their best physical features.

She imagined her choice of clothing was done a little more consciously than his however – Chris probably just knew that he looked good in green; she couldn't quite imagine him thinking along any other line than that. Analyzing things to the depth of why someone looked good in one colour and not another was definitely a girl thing.

"So are you ready to go?" he asked.

Emily picked up her purse and nodded. She moved towards the open door of her apartment, but stopped when Chris TK'd it shut with a casual flick of his fingers.

"We're not driving then?" she enquired as she locked up from the inside, an act that seemed decidedly on the wrong side.

"No, were you expecting us to?"

"Well yeah, I guess so," Emily said, turning back to face him and stashing her key in her bag. "Wyatt usually drives when he takes Chloe out, or else he did in the early days."

Chris shrugged. "I'm not Wyatt," he stated cryptically, not offering any other explanation as he closed the gap between them to a matter of centimetres.

He was now standing so close that Emily was forced to tip back her head in order to look up into his face "I had noticed that," she quipped lightly. "I think it's the dark hair that does it."

Chris grinned at her and then reached out and rested his hands on the curve of her waist, his fingers burning her skin through the thin material of her top. Emily instinctively grasped hold of his lower arms and then her world tipped on its axis as he orbed them out.

When they re-materialised in a secluded spot somewhere in the heart of the city, Chris didn't immediately let go of her, and Emily's heart thumped wildly in her chest as he looked down on her in contemplative silence. His features were concealed in shadow because of the dim lighting in the alleyway, so she couldn't see the expression on his face. She felt sure he was about to kiss her though and the anticipation was almost too much to bear.

However, just as she was about to stand on her tiptoes and beat him to it, he suddenly tensed up and stepped back, letting out an audible sigh. Emily frowned, confused as to what was wrong. Her unease grew as they walked the remaining block to the restaurant, ordered their meals and waited for the starters to arrive. Chris was uncharacteristically quiet and seemed a little on edge. She felt like she was carrying the whole conversation every time she ventured to communicate with him.

At first, she thought that maybe it was nerves that was making him so reticent, but that didn't make any sense because he'd been perfectly relaxed when he'd come to pick her up. Whatever had happened in that alleyway had put him on his guard and she was at a loss to understand why. Had she done something wrong? Finally, as he played with the Caesar salad on his plate and gazed abstractedly around the restaurant, she could stand it no longer.

"Look, you didn't have to feel obliged to ask me out, you know," she said, a little snappily. "There's no point in this if you don't want to be here."

Chris started guiltily at that and turned to look at her, an apology shining in his green eyes. "Emily, it's not that, I'm sorry. I just… there's something I have to tell you, but I didn't want to ruin this date before it's even begun."

He impulsively reached across the table and took her hand in his, "I want to be here, I promise you," he said with such genuine sincerity that Emily couldn't help but believe him.

"If that's truly the case, then there's nothing you could say that could ruin this," she said.

Chris nodded, but didn't look wholly reassured. "Wanna a bet?" he said wryly.

"Chris…"

"Okay – I told you about the recital that we have at Magic School every year, right?"

Emily nodded, utterly perplexed now. What did Magic School have to do with their relationship?

"Well, it's in six week time. All members of staff help out to a certain extent, but two are chosen to coordinate the whole thing. Wyatt usually does it with a witch called Carmella Frost, but he pulled out because of the wedding, and Carmella's husband is ill, so two other teachers have to take on the responsibility this year."

"You," Emily guessed.

"Yes," Chris agreed heavily.

"And this is a bad thing because…," she prompted when he didn't elaborate.

"Well it takes up a lot of extracurricular time," Chris replied, avoiding the real issue.

"They give you time off for good behaviour though, don't they?"

"Well yeah but…," Chris broke off with another sigh. "That's not really it to be honest," he rushed on before he lost his nerve. "I'll be doing the job with Heather – she volunteered. I guess she wants to make a good impression on my father…"

"More like she couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend some time alone with you," Emily said acidly.

Chris wisely didn't mention the fact that Heather had offered her services before she knew he was involved. He didn't think it would go down too well. It smacked of him defending the other woman's actions and he wasn't stupid enough to do that. The previous week's incident had taught him that Emily had a jealous streak in her nature, and while he wasn't prepared to accept her not trusting him, he could still be sensitive to that.

"Whether that's the case or not, it doesn't make a difference," he said. "I know this is only our first date, but I'm hoping it's not the last. This is my job, so I can't just back out. Just so you know though, I'm not interested in anyone but you, okay? You have to trust me on that."

Emily nodded and looked down at the table, trying to ignore the doubts that were clamouring to overwhelm her with uncertainty.

"Can you do that?" Chris asked boldly. "Look at me, Emily."

Emily lifted her gaze to his. "I'll try," she said quietly. "I believe you, I do. Only after I let myself…," she trailed off unable to continue.

They'd never really discussed what had happened nine months before; it had always been a taboo subject between them. They'd skirted around the subject with cryptic asides, but had never once confronted the issue head-on. Emily knew they would have to if they were to move past it and have an honest, open relationship however.

Too embarrassed to look him in the face, she fixed her gaze on a picture on the wall. "I let myself hope for something that, at the time, I could never have. I knew that and I never would have tried to make it happen, but the feelings were there all the same. It took me a long time to move on from it and I'm… I'm scared of getting hurt again. I trust you, but it's going to take me a while to accept that this is really happening. Heather unnerves me; I look at her and I think she has everything that I don't, just like Bianca did. I mean, why wouldn't you…?"

"Stop! Just stop, okay?" Chris cut in, genuinely shocked by her insecurity over his feelings and her own attractiveness.

He leaned forward and took both her hands in his. "Listen to me. I won't deny that I loved Bianca, but let's get one thing straight - I liked you from the very beginning, okay? I was in a committed relationship though, so I never allowed myself to see the possibility of anything more than friendship between us. When you saved me from that demon and nearly got yourself killed in the process, I realised how much you'd come to mean to me however."

Hanging on his every word, Emily almost stopped breathing. This is what she'd needed to know for weeks now. He'd explained the slow, gradual breakdown of his relationship with Bianca, but he'd never really explained his feelings for her personally during that time.

"Things were difficult with Bianca though and I wasn't sure that what I was feeling was real. When you said you were going to LA, I did think seriously about asking you to stay, but in the end, I chose to try to work things out with Bianca instead. I knew that there was the potential there with you, but I also knew I wasn't ready to let go of what I had with her either. I don't regret that decision – I still believe that you going to LA was the best thing for all three of us. It gave me the space to work out what I really wanted; having you around would have just complicated the issue. Us being together under those circumstances could never have worked out anyway. There'd have been too many ifs and buts getting in the way."

"And there isn't now?" Emily asked.

Chris smiled and gently squeezed her fingers. "No, I don't think there is. Bianca will always be an important part of my life, but she's in the past now. I've moved on, and so has she if the rumours are true."

"Rumours?" Emily asked curiously.

"That she's dating again." Chris clarified. "I've no doubt that she's had plenty of offers – after all some men were crass enough to ask her out while we were together – but rumour has it that she's accepted a few recently."

"And that doesn't bother you?"

Chris shook his head. "No, which is why I know that I'm ready for this," he said, gesturing between the two of them. "I honestly hope she finds someone to make her happy, someone who can give her what I couldn't."

Emily nodded. "But I'm not… I'm not like Bianca at all," she said, his frank honesty making her admit to one of her greatest fears about the long-term future of their fledgling relationship.

Chris laughed. "Well that's not entirely true," he said to her utmost surprise.

"But, but I'm a redhead," she said stupidly.

"So, my first serious girlfriend was a blonde," Chris replied. "I don't think I go for any specific kind of look to be honest. When it comes to personality though, then I guess I do."

Emily looked at him, amazed. She was like Bianca in personality. Since when?

"You're different in lots of ways;" Chris went on, responding to her unspoken thoughts, "Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. There are similarities though, even if you can't see them. You have a similar sense of humour to me for instance, which Bianca – and Carolyn, my first girlfriend – have too. And you're your own woman, even more so since you came back from LA. You're not afraid to tell it like it is which I like. And…,"

He paused, obviously unsure whether to voice his next opinion or not.

"And what?" Emily asked, wanting to know.

"You can be stubborn and difficult sometimes."

Emily stared at him aghast. "That's a good thing?"

"Well – it can be incredibly frustrating, but I have to admit I find it kind of sexy too."

"You're weird, you know that?" Emily said teasingly, blushing at the thought of him thinking about her in that way.

"So I'm told," Chris told her with a grin before his expression turned serious again. "Are we okay here?" he asked gently.

Emily nodded; feeling more relaxed than she had in a long time. The conversation might have been heavy for a first date, but it had cleared the air and addressed all the lingering issues that needed to be dealt with.

"Good, then let's just enjoy this, shall we?"

Chris sat back, picked up his fork and attacked his abandoned salad with gusto. Following suit, Emily likewise returned to eating her Prawn Marie Rose.

The rest of the meal passed in a significantly more relaxed fashion. Because they already knew each other so well, there was non of the usual awkwardness that inhabited a first date. Alone in his company for the first time in a while, Emily was more aware of the flirtatious edge to their conversation than ever. Such was the frequency of the secret glances and accidental touches that by the time the waiter offered them coffee, Emily swiftly declined, dying to get somewhere more private with her date.

Chris, seemingly of the same mind, also refused the offer of a hot drink and asked for the bill instead. Their conversation stalled at this point, but the resulting silence wasn't uncomfortable, instead it was filled with a pleasant sense of anticipatory expectation.

"So," Chris said as they exited the restaurant and descended the steps to the sidewalk outside, "How does a walk down on the Waterfront sound?"

Emily nodded in agreement. "That would be lovely," she replied, throwing a shy, sidelong glance his way.

"Okay then," Chris said, reaching out to take her hand in his as they crossed the road, and headed towards a deserted backstreet just around the corner from the restaurant.

Emily had gotten used to being transported all over the city in an instant, but she was still amazed at how many out-of-the-way places there were to orb in and out of. Chris and Wyatt seemed to know the location of all of them too, which wasn't all that surprising since they'd lived all their lives in San Francisco and had been orbing since early childhood, she supposed.

Once they were away from prying eyes, Chris let go of her hand and slipped his arms around her waist, his fingers pressing lightly into the small of her back. Even though she hadn't realised it when he'd done the same thing at her apartment earlier, she now recognised that this was just an excuse to touch her more intimately, and had nothing to do with orbing her anywhere whatsoever.

Of course, she wasn't about to object to the subterfuge so she stepped in closer, resting her hands lightly against his chest and looking up into his face with a knowing twinkle in her eye. Chris grinned unrepentantly back at her and started to bend in closer before suddenly stopping to take in their surroundings.

"Somewhere a little less seedy, I think," he murmured dryly as he straightened up again.

Emily nodded, realising she didn't really want their first kiss to be in a smelly, garbage-strewn alleyway either. Expecting to be orbed though, she was startled when Chris abruptly pulled away from her instead.

"What's wrong?" she asked urgently, then desisted when he waved at her to be quiet.

As he cast an appraising eye around the darkened alleyway, she hadn't a clue what he was looking for. However, she was soon to find out when there was a sudden flash of bright light, accompanied by a sharp pain in her left shoulder. Gasping and clutching at her injured arm, she fell heavily against the wall of the building behind her.

"Get down!" Chris said, shoving her to the floor as another flash of light lit up the dark alleyway like a lightening bolt.

As Chris deflected the resulting energy ball into a dumpster alongside them, she finally realised what they were up against. A dark figure emerged from the far side of the alleyway, another glowing energy ball at the ready in its hand. Before she'd had the chance to register what she was seeing, the demon hurled the second missile in their direction, firing up a third the moment Chris TK'd it away from them again.

Through a haze of pain, Emily heard Chris swear violently and gasped in horror when he rose from his crouched position beside her to face their attacker down. After that, everything seemed to be occurring in slow motion – the demon threw his fiery weapon directly at the waiting witch-whitelighter and Chris immediately gestured with his hand, deflecting the energy ball right back at their attacker. The demon then tried to dive out of the way, but found that utterly impossible when the energy ball expanded to such a huge size that it engulfed him completely in its red-hot midst, vanquishing him on first contact.

As silence descended, Emily staggered drunkenly to her feet and moved towards Chris, who was looking down at his hand with an astonished expression on his face. "Did you do that?" she asked, referring to the rapidly expanding energy ball.

Chris was still looking confusedly at his hand. "I err, I think… umm… maybe."

He stopped and looked at her, clearly shocked by what he'd apparently done. When he took in her pale face and the bleeding wound on her shoulder though, his bewildered expression quickly faded into a look of concern. "You're hurt!"

"I'm fine," Emily hastened to assure him, but then belied her words as a wave of dizziness caused her to sway dangerously on her feet.

As the edges of her vision blurred, Chris reached out and caught her firmly around the waist, holding her upright. "We need to get you to someone who can heal you," he said in her ear as she struggled to combat the overwhelming feeling of faintness.

She barely heard him though, and as their bodies dissolved into a sparkling vortex of blue light, she felt the darkness descend...

_**To be continued…**_


	27. The Politics of Kissing

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Hope everyone had a great Christmas. Thanks for all the reviews – I've answered the signed ones with the reply system. Hope you enjoy!

CharmedBec xx

**

* * *

Chapter 27 **

The sensation of her body becoming solid again was what brought Emily out of her momentary swoon. Still feeling weak and faint from the blood loss, she looked around and found herself in the hallway of the Halliwell Manor, rather than at Wyatt and Chloe's apartment as she'd been expecting.

"Dad? Mom?" Chris called out loudly as he urged her to sit down on the stairs.

Seating himself beside her, he kept his arm around her back, holding her upright as she strived to ignore the encroaching black mist fogging her brain and stay conscious. Piper and Leo came running out of the lounge a few moments later, summoned by their youngest son's entreaty for help.

"Heal!" Chris demanded of his father, pointing at the nasty wound on Emily's shoulder.

Leo immediately held out his hands over the injury and Emily felt her dizziness subside as the warm, healing glow from his palms repaired the damage wrought by the energy ball.

"What happened?" Piper enquired of her son when the process was complete.

"A demon attacked us," Chris explained. "He's dead," he quickly added, waving off his mother's concern. "It's just… well, something weird happened."

As Chris outlined to Piper and Leo what had occurred with the energy ball, Emily finally realised why he'd brought her here rather than taking her to Wyatt to heal. Of course, his parents would be the people he went to for advice about something like this.

"Are you sure it was you?" Leo asked when his son finished his explanation.

"Pretty sure – it felt different somehow."

Leo nodded. "Well, I don't suppose it's entirely unexpected," he said. "Your powers have been developing lately. I would say your Mom's freezing power wasn't the only thing you inherited."

"But I didn't blow him up," Chris protested.

"And you can't completely freeze things either," Leo pointed out. "As far as I understand it, the way your Mom's power works is that she throws so much energy at an object that it literally explodes from the internal pressure. A lesser version of that could easily have the effect you described."

Chris blew out his breath from between his lips. "Well, I guess I better try and get a handle on it quick then," he said, a little worriedly. "I mean, it's a lot more destructive than freezing stuff, isn't it?"

"You just need to practise that's all," Piper told him soothingly. "It sounds like it's mixed up with your telekinesis ability like the freezing is, so that should make it easier to master."

Chris nodded. "I guess."

"And try to stay calm," she advised. "Anger makes my blowing-up power much harder to control, more so than any other emotion."

"I was pretty angry tonight," Chris admitted.

"Which is probably what coaxed it out of you in the first place," Leo concluded. "Your Mom's right though, you should try and keep a tighter reign on those negative emotions until you've learnt how to control it."

"But that's for another day," Piper cut in smoothly. "How about some hot chocolate?"

Chris cast an uncertain look at his date. "Err, Mom, I umm, we…" he began but then broke off his stuttering response when Emily placed a calming hand on his arm.

"It's okay," she said softly.

"You sure?" Chris asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, it's fine."

"That's settled then," Piper said briskly, then turned and went through into the kitchen, oblivious to the significance of the little exchange between her son and his female companion.

Leo however, shot them a speculative look before he followed his wife through into the other room and left the two of them alone in the hall.

"I'm sorry," Chris immediately apologised as soon as his parents were out of earshot.

"I said it was okay," Emily reminded him.

"I know but this isn't exactly what I had in mind for tonight."

Emily smiled at his rueful tone. "Look at it this way – we're never likely to forget our first date, are we?"

Chris laughed. "That's for sure," he agreed, standing up and holding out his hand towards her. "Come on – the sooner we let Mom fuss over us, the sooner we get out of here."

Emily allowed him to pull her to her feet and lead her through into the kitchen, where she sat down alongside him on one of the stools at the counter while Piper busied herself preparing the hot chocolate.

"So – what's this I hear from your Dad about the new teacher at Magic School taking a liking to you?" the eldest Charmed One teasingly asked her son.

"Mom…"

"Now come on," she chided at his protest. "She seems like a nice girl to me and it's about time you started dating again."

As Piper continued on, unaware of how badly she was putting her foot in it, Chris lowered his head into his arms and lightly banged his forehead against the countertop. Emily bit back a laugh on seeing this, the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach melting away in the face of his obvious mortification.

"Just because things didn't work out between you and Bianca doesn't mean you have to give up on looking for love, you know…"

Having had enough, Chris lifted his head and cut off his mother's well-meaning advice with a sharp "MOM!"

"What?" she asked, startled by his peremptory tone.

Chris cast a sidelong glance at Emily. "Well, you can't say I don't know how to show a girl a good time," he remarked dryly to her.

This time, Emily didn't try to stifle her laugh and Chris ruefully shook his head as his mother finally realised her blunder.

"Oh! Are you…? Is this a date?"

"Yes," Chris said wearily. "And I was kind of hoping for another, so if you wouldn't mind sparing me more of the ritual humiliation..."

"You should have said something," Piper scolded as Leo chuckled at their son's droll quip.

"She'll be bringing out the embarrassing baby pictures next," Chris said to Emily.

"Don't be smart mister, or I might just do that," Piper threatened her son, and then turned to apologise to his date. "I'm sorry, honey – I didn't realise."

"It's okay, you didn't know," Emily replied, magnanimously waving off her apology. She glanced over at a still embarrassed Chris, a wicked and mischievous thought entering her head.

"If you want to make it up to me though," she added impishly. "I wouldn't mind a look at those baby pictures."

"Okay, so now we're definitely leaving," Chris said, determinedly climbing down from his stool as his parents laughed at Emily's joke. "Thanks for the offer of hot chocolate, Mom, but I think we'll pass."

Not wanting to appear rude, Emily stayed in her seat, uncertain of what to do. She couldn't deny that she was craving to be alone with Chris right now, but the last thing she wanted was to snub his Mom and Dad in the process. If this relationship developed in the way that she hoped, then she needed to make a good impression on them.

Sensing her dilemma, Piper leaned forward and patted her hand. "It's okay, you can go," she said. "We won't be offended. I think our son is old enough to go on a date without a chaperone."

Emily nodded and smiled shyly at her, before sliding down from her seat and joining Chris in the doorway. He immediately reached out and grasped her hand, orbing the two of them away before she had chance to say a proper goodbye however.

"Chris!" she protested when they reappeared somewhere near the Waterfront. "Your Mom and Dad are gonna think I have such bad manners."

"No, they won't," he assured her as they made their way down towards the lamp-lit promenade that ran along the water's edge. "And if they do, I'll just say it was my fault. They'll believe that easy enough."

"Somehow I don't think so," Emily replied with a smile. "Something tells me that you're the apple of their eye and then some."

"Well, I can't help being so adorable, you know," Chris told her with a wink.

"I think that's a better spot, don't you?" he asked then, indicating a nearby bench with a wave of his hand.

At first, Emily didn't understand what he was talking about, and then her heart skipped a beat as she remembered what the demon's attack had so rudely interrupted earlier. She flushed and nodded, suddenly unable to speak. Trying to quell the butterflies in her stomach, she started to walk towards the bench, but stopped when Chris reached out a hand and held her back.

"What?" she enquired, turning to face him.

He simply bent and kissed her in reply, taking her completely by surprise. As his lips moved over hers with slow and deliberate thoroughness, Emily could safely say that she had never been kissed like that before in her life - it was almost as if he was trying to memorise every single detail about the sensation of her mouth against his. The result was just so intense, even though, in itself, the embrace was inherently more sweet than passionate.

Once she'd recovered from her momentary shock, she responded in kind, standing on her tiptoes to compensate for their difference in heights and wrapping her arms around his neck to hold him close. His arms came fully around her as she did this and for a long time, they simply lost themselves in the moment, savouring the heady reality of their first kiss.

"I figured we shouldn't tempt fate any longer," Chris murmured when he eventually lifted his mouth away from hers. "I mean, it's what? Ten metres to that bench – anything could have happened between here and there. The sky falling in; the world ending… regular occurrences like that. It'd just be our luck, don't you think?"

Feeling decidedly giddy, Emily laughed. "Oh yeah, they definitely sound like possibilities where our first date is concerned," she quipped, as they continued their walk along the promenade, his arm slung casually across her shoulders and hers wrapped loosely around his waist.

She smiled up at him and Chris took the opportunity to drop another soft, gentle kiss on her upturned lips before he turned the conversation to slightly weightier matters. "So what do you say to us doing this again on Saturday then?"

"What? Going for a meal, getting attacked by a demon, and taking an unscheduled side trip to your Mom and Dad's, you mean?" she asked.

Chris laughed. "No, I was thinking of something a little less eventful," he replied.

"Dinner and a movie at my place?" she suggested. "I'll cook, but only if you promise not to criticise."

"Now would I do that?" Chris returned playfully.

"A son of an ex-chef? Yeah, I reckon you would."

Chris grinned at her. "I'll tell you what, how about we both cook?"

Emily smiled. "Okay, you've got yourself a deal," she said and then shook her head. "Oh wait! I can't. We're supposed to be shopping for Chloe's wedding dress this weekend."

"Friday then?"

"Keen, aren't we?"

"Yep," Chris freely admitted, making Emily light up from the inside out with a rush of happiness.

"Friday it is then," she agreed, and then had to resist the urge to punch the air with a triumphant 'Yes!'

**OOOOOO**

_**Friday evening, Emily's apartment…**_

"They do not taste different if you cut them lengthways!" Emily protested with a disbelieving shake of her head.

"I'm telling you, they do," Chris contradicted, taking the knife from her and proceeding to chop up the vegetables for their stir-fry the 'right' way instead of the 'wrong' way. "Just ask my Mom."

"You do know you're completely neurotic, don't you?" Emily teased, unable to help herself.

"Right – and you're like so Miss Calm, Cool and Rational," Chris shot back sarcastically. "I think not."

"Hey! Watch who you're insulting there, buddy."

"Err - hello? Pot and Kettle?"

Emily dissolved into delighted giggles at that, and Chris's rich, deeper laugh rang out immediately afterwards.

"I'll go and set the table," she told him when their combined mirth finally died down.

"Umm, that's forks on the right and knives on the left, right?" she asked over her shoulder as she headed towards the kitchen doorway.

Quick as a flash, Chris snatched up the wet cloth on the countertop and aimed it with pinpoint accuracy in her direction, forcing her to duck to avoid it as she fled through into the living room with a squeal of laughter. As she dimmed the lights and lit the two candles that made up the table centrepiece, Emily smiled contentedly to herself. She hadn't felt this happy in months, years even – everything in her life finally seemed to be coming together at long last.

She and Chris had spent the rest of their date on Wednesday evening simply talking about anything and everything until he had eventually orbed her home around midnight. He had then bid her goodnight with another one of those kisses that made her feel like she'd been on a rollercoaster ride to the moon and back, and she'd pretty much been walking on air ever since.

Tonight though, Chris had landed on her doorstep in a different mood entirely, apparently determined to tease her mercilessly from the word get-go. She was almost certain that his endless and often inexplicable advice with regard to her cooking skills was wholly designed to make her laugh, but half the time she couldn't tell whether he was being serious or not.

Still, she couldn't deny that she was having fun. So many of their interactions of late had been coloured by the awkwardness of what had gone before and the weight of expectation of what was hopefully to come. It was a welcome relief not to worry about anything other than simply enjoying one another's company for once.

Back in the kitchen, Chris finished preparing the rest of the vegetables for their meal, and then went to retrieve the cloth from where it had landed with a wet splat in the doorway. As he bent to pick it up, he caught sight of Emily in the living room and paused to watch her for a while.

She had finished setting the table now and was crouched down in front of her music station, programming it to play a continuous stream of randomly selected tracks from her favourite bands and artists. When this was done to her satisfaction, she hit the 'play' button and straightened up as the music filled the room with its rhythmic beat.

Surreptitiously observing her from the kitchen doorway, Chris smiled as she began to dance, her eyes closed and her head tipped back as her lithe body moved fluidly in time with the music. It was rare for Emily to be this unguarded in his company and, although he understood where her apprehension came from, it saddened him to think that she couldn't bring herself to completely relax around him.

He missed the free and easy friendship that they'd shared when they'd first been getting to know each other and felt guilty for hurting her, even though he knew it wasn't really his fault. Her current wariness was something he would just have to accept until she was able to trust him enough with her emotions to let go of her previous heartbreak therefore.

However, that didn't mean he wasn't going to do everything in his power to reassure her that it was okay for her to put her faith in him again. That's why he'd arrived this evening with the express intention of knocking down a few of the protective walls that she'd built up around her heart, and he was glad to see that his upbeat mood and constant patter of witty repartee seemed to have done the trick.

As Emily danced on, utterly oblivious to his presence, Chris felt another, more potent emotion wash over him though. With every day that passed, he was becoming more and more aware of her as a woman. It wasn't as if he hadn't noticed before, but it wasn't something he'd allowed himself to dwell on while he'd been with Bianca.

While his former girlfriend had a certain overt sensuality about her, Emily's feminine charms were decidedly more understated. Although undoubtedly pretty and attractive, she didn't have Bianca's flawless beauty, but there was just something about her that captured his interest and reeled him in like a fish on a line. Right now for instance, the subtle and graceful movements of her body as she danced were calling to him like a siren's song and before he even knew what he was doing, he had pushed away from the doorframe and was crossing the room to join her with long, purposeful strides.

Sensing his approach, Emily opened her eyes and stopped dancing. "How long have you been there?" she asked, flushing with embarrassment.

"Long enough," Chris replied throatily.

Placing his right palm firmly in the small of her back, he tugged her up against him and bent to kiss her in one, fluid movement. Emily gasped in surprise at this bold move, but responded readily enough, an action that made Chris smile against her lips as he kissed her with a strong and deliberate sense of purpose.

When they finally broke apart a minute or so later, they were both a little short of breath. Looking down into her beautiful sea-blue eyes, Chris could see that he just needed to keep showing her with his words and actions that this was what he truly wanted, and she would gradually learn to trust him again. While that was certainly an attractive proposition, he was aware that he had to be careful not to push things too far, too fast either though – for his own sake as well as hers. Rushing things would do more harm than good in the long run. Therefore, with that in mind, he released her and stepped back.

"Well, now I'm hungry," he declared expansively, making her laugh and dissipating the slight tension between them.

"I guess we should get started on dinner then," Emily replied, leading the way back into the kitchen.

Several hours later, Emily sat curled up next to him on the sofa, allegedly watching the movie on the flat-screen, high-definition TV in front of them, but in reality not paying much attention to it. Chris was slumped low in the cushions, his feet now devoid of shoes and propped up on the coffee table in front of him. He had his arm around her, his fingers pressing firmly into the curve of her hip, and she could hear the rhythmic thump-thump of his heart in her ear from where her head was resting comfortably against his chest.

Her suppressed feelings were like a waiting time bomb inside of her though, and Chris's close proximity was threatening to set off the trigger mechanism and start the countdown to detonation. Unfortunately, she was also extremely conscious of the fact that his feelings for her were nowhere near as developed as hers were for him. He liked her, she knew, was maybe even starting to fall a little bit in love with her, but it was all still very new to him nevertheless.

She'd been letting him dictate the progress of their relationship therefore, with the unfortunate consequence that she now felt powerless to do something as simple as take his hand or initiate a kiss without his say-so. She knew that kind of inequality in a relationship wasn't a good thing, but she didn't know how to deal with the problem and still be sensitive to the fact that he needed take things at a slower pace than she did.

"What's wrong?" Chris asked a few minutes later when he picked up on her growing tension.

"Nothing," Emily quickly replied, an answer that her companion didn't buy for a second.

"Emily…" he gently chided.

"It's silly," she said, pulling away from him with a sigh.

Chris reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Tell me," he encouraged, his green-eyed gaze earnest and non-judgemental.

Emily looked back at him, uncertain of how to explain her dilemma. "This is new to you," she said slowly, "But it isn't to me and… and sometimes I'm afraid that if I show you how I feel, it'll scare you off because it'll be too much, too soon – which is a reaction I'd perfectly understand, only…"

"It means you're frightened to make any kind of move at all," Chris finished for her, quickly catching on to what she was trying to say.

Emily nodded. "I told you it was stupid."

"No, no, it's not," Chris said. "Listen - I don't want you to feel that way, but I also think it's important that we don't rush into things, so maybe we should come up with some ground-rules for how this is going to work."

Emily's lips quirked up into a small smile at that. "You mean draw up a list of what I can and can't say or do without your permission," she enquired archly.

Chris chuckled. "I don't think it needs to be as prescriptive as that," he replied. "Just act in a way that feels right in relation to where you think we're at, and I'll tell you if it's too much, okay?"

Emily nodded. "Okay," she agreed and then regarded at him with a speculative gleam in her eye.

"So," she continued with heavy emphasis, "Are you enjoying the movie?"

Guessing where this was leading, Chris played along. "Not particularly," he admitted. "It's a bit too formulaic if you ask me, no imagination to the plot whatsoever."

"So if we make out like two kids on the back row at a movie theatre that'd be okay with you then?" she asked. "I'm talking strictly first base here," she added for extra clarification.

Chris grinned. "Oh, I think that'd be more than okay with me," he told her and then bent to capture her lips with his…

**OOOOOO**

_**The next morning, Wyatt and Chloe's apartment…**_

"What?" Emily demanded of her grinning cousin as they waited for the arrival of the Charmed Ones.

"Did I say anything?" Chloe asked innocently.

"No, but you were thinking it," Emily immediately retorted.

"Well, you do have a certain glow about you," Chloe went on. "I take it you and Chris had fun last night."

"Yes, but not in the way you're speculating," Emily replied. "It was only our second date."

Chloe laughed. "I know," she said and then something occurred to her. "You should still take some empathy-blocking potion though. You're giving off some seriously glow-y vibes right now, and Phoebe's going to be able to read you like a book if you don't."

Emily stared at her cousin in consternation. "And where are we going to find some of that before they arrive?" she asked.

"I'm pretty sure they'll be some in the magical supplies cupboard," Chloe replied, pulling open a drawer and retrieving an old-fashioned brass key from the back.

Emily followed her as she went over to the freestanding cupboard in the corner and unlocked it with the key. "Do you know what empathy-blocking potion looks like?" she asked.

"Sure, it's blue," her cousin replied offhandedly.

"That doesn't exactly inspire me with confidence, Chloe. A lot of potions are blue – how will you know which is the right one?"

Chloe cast her slightly disbelieving look and rolled her eyes. "You have met my future brother-in-law, haven't you?" she said as she opened the cupboard door. "You know, the man you're supposed to be dating?"

"What does Chris have to do with…? Oh," Emily stopped as the inside of the supplies cupboard came into view.

Row upon row of potion bottles and jars of herbs and multicoloured powders were neatly stacked on the shelves. All were clearly labelled with what they contained and were arranged in alphabetical order, except for the 'A's' and 'Z's' which seemed to have been switched around for some reason.

"It drives Wyatt mad," Chloe said with a laugh as she searched through the 'E's' and located what they were looking for. "He deliberately messes things up for the hell of it, but Chris never fails to put them back in the correct order. I think it's a brotherly battle of wills that'll go on until they're old and grey. Here…"

She handed Emily the potion, who took it from her, twisted off the cap and drank it down in one, swift gulp. As she tossed the empty bottle into a nearby waste-paper bin, the doorbell rang announcing the arrival of their shopping companions and Chloe went to answer it.

"Hey!" Prue said, stepping over the threshold ahead of her Mom and Aunts. "You don't mind if I come along too, do you? I've always wanted to go to Paris."

Chloe shook her head with a smile. "No, the more the merrier."

"Well, that's good," Piper said, closing the door behind her, "Because we invited a couple of extra guests along. They'll be here in a minute."

"Or now," Paige said as a shimmering orb sound came from the corridor outside. She leaned forward and opened the door again

"Mom!" Both Chloe and Emily exclaimed in delighted unison when they saw the identity of their mystery guests.

"Hey sweetie!" Leann Simpson said as she hugged her daughter. "Piper tells me that you've got a rather special shopping trip planned."

Chloe looked at her future mother-in-law, touched by her thoughtfulness. "Thanks," she said gratefully.

"No problem," Piper replied with a smile. "I didn't think it would be right for us to be with you and your real Mom and Aunt not to be."

As she affectionately hugged her mother hello, Emily saw Chris standing just inside the apartment door and an intense, butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling immediately washed over her. At first, she was confused as to why he was there, but then it dawned on her that he must have been the one who had collected her Mom and Aunt from Oakenvale.

Noticing her eyes upon him, he winked conspiratorially at her and she shivered, memories of the previous evening resurfacing at his silent acknowledgement of their burgeoning relationship. She was suddenly very grateful that Chloe had suggested she take the empathy-blocking potion. She dreaded to think what Phoebe might be learning right about now if she hadn't taken precautionary measures to stop the older woman from seeing into her thoughts.

"Okay, I'll leave you girls to it," Chris announced after both Emily and Chloe had greeted their respective Aunts. "Umm… Emily? Can I have a quick word outside please?"

"Sure," she agreed, trying to keep her voice calm and steady as she followed him out into the corridor. "What is it?"

"Nothing really - I just wanted to say hi," Chris said, deliberately backing her up against the wall and placing his hands either side of her head.

"Chris, they'll hear us," she whisperingly admonished him as he bent in close, his breath warm against the skin of her face.

"So, let 'em," he said before he confidently pressed his mouth against hers.

Despite the very real prospect of being discovered, Emily kissed him back, an act she was starting to get worryingly addicted to if truth be told.

"Call me when you get back," he said when he eventually released her.

"What for?" she asked teasingly.

Chris shot her a steady look and she laughed. He then bent to bestow another brief kiss on her lips before he finally orbed out in a swirl of blue lights.

"So – is everyone ready?" Paige asked, when Emily rejoined the group of women gathered in Chloe and Wyatt's apartment.

They all nodded, formed a circle and linked hands. "Alrighty then," the youngest Charmed One announced. "Paris, New York and London - here we come…"

_**To be continued…**_


	28. London Nights

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! This chapter is much longer than normal, but I didn't think you'd mind :-) The last scene went through a lot of re-writes so apologies if it's still a bit ropy in places.

Thanks for the reviews – I've replied to all the signed ones. Apologies to those reviewers I replied to last week, said I was about to post and then didn't! Unexpected real life issues unfortunately got in the way :-(

Anyway, on with the show - hope I managed to get all the time-zones straight!

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Chapter 28

Sitting alongside her sisters on the sofa in the viewing area of a bridal boutique in Paris, Piper Halliwell shot a covert glance at the young, red-haired woman who looked like becoming her youngest son's newest girlfriend. Emily was standing a few feet away in a huddle with her mother and Aunt, chatting quietly to them as they waited for Chloe to emerge from the dressing room, where the officious attendant was helping the bride-to-be into yet another of the shop's vast array of wedding dresses.

Piper leaned over to speak in her sister's ear, keeping her voice low to avoid being overheard. "So – about Emily…" she began in a deceptively casual tone and Phoebe's mouth immediately quirked upwards into a knowing smile.

"What about her?" she returned, even though she knew full well what. Her older sister was totally predictable when it came to her beloved boys and their prospective girlfriends after all.

"Have you…?" Piper enquired, leaving Phoebe to fill in the blanks.

"Yes," Phoebe replied simply.

"And?" Piper prompted when her sister annoyingly didn't volunteer any more information.

"Nothing – I couldn't get a read off of her. I'm guessing she's already taken some empathy-blocking potion. I think your boys have finally gotten wise to your devious methods of probing into their private lives, Piper."

Paige chuckled from where she sat on the other side of Phoebe. "And yet, you tried to read her anyway…" she pointed out.

"Well of course," Phoebe admitted with unashamed aplomb. "This is my nephew we're talking about – I thought I ought to check just in case."

Paige laughed, and then leaned across Phoebe to speak to her elder sister. "I really don't think you have anything to worry about, Piper. Wyatt and Chris have been friends with Emily for over a year now, not to mention the fact that she's Chloe's cousin and the great granddaughter of one of Leo's favourite charges. Besides, weren't you saying the other day that it's about time Chris started dating again? You can't have it both ways, you know."

Piper wrinkled her nose in consternation. "Do you have to be so logical?" she complained. "And what's wrong with wanting my sons to be happy anyway?"

"Nothing at all," Paige replied, "But give them some credit. They've learnt the hard way not to trust people at face value; I don't think they would have let Emily into their inner circle of friends if they thought she was untrustworthy."

Piper couldn't fault the logic in that statement, plus it wasn't as if she didn't like the girl – Emily had always seemed perfectly pleasant whenever she'd met her previously. The trouble was, after the Tara debacle, it was almost second nature for her to be suspicious of her sons' suitors until they'd proved themselves genuine. She therefore decided to reserve judgement until she'd gotten to know the young woman a little better.

Meanwhile, in the dressing room, Chloe stood patiently waiting as the shop attendant fastened the tiny buttons down the back of the snow-white dress she was trying on. Eventually, after much fumbling and swearing in French, the woman pronounced the job done.

"Ahh! It eez beautiful!" she said in heavily accented English as she smoothed down the garment's full skirts and picked imaginary bits of lint off the fitted bodice.

As she'd said that of every dress so far, Chloe privately decided to wait until she'd seen the result herself before forming an opinion. Hitching up the heavy skirt, she went out into the viewing area to look at herself in the huge mirror there. The lack of reaction from her shopping companions told her everything she needed to know, but she was still completely stunned when she saw her reflection in the glass. The dress - which had looked quite reasonable on the hanger - was the most hideous creation yet.

"I look like a big, puffy snowball," she said in a tone of distaste.

"It's not that bad," Emily tried to encourage her. "Maybe if you removed some of the underskirts…"

Chloe shot her an incredulous look and her redheaded cousin cracked, "Okay it _is_ that bad," she admitted.

As if on cue, the attendant exited the dressing room. "Yes?" she asked expectantly.

Chloe shook her head. "No," she said and the woman's face fell. "It's… not really me," she explained, elbowing her cousin in the side when she started to snigger.

"I fetch more?" the attendant asked hopefully.

Chloe was quite sure she wasn't going to find what she wanted here so she shook her head. "No, I'm sorry – your dresses are beautiful but they're not really what I'm looking for," she said in as polite a tone as she could muster.

"So Paris is a bust then?" Paige enquired when they finally escaped the shop and its over familiar attendant.

Chloe nodded, disappointed by their lack of success. The dresses here in France were either ultra modern in style or overly fussy and meringue-like. She wanted something simple and elegant, a dress that was traditional but that had a modern twist to set it apart from the rest.

"So where to next then?"

"New York," Chloe decided. Maybe she'd have better luck on home soil…

Several hours of fruitless searching later, she was coming to the conclusion that that wasn't going to be the case. Although certainly an improvement on Paris, the selection of dresses offered in New York was very similar to that in San Francisco and she'd had no success there either.

"Maybe I'm being too picky," she said. "I mean, the second dress in the last shop was nice, but…"

"It wasn't the one," Phoebe finished for her.

Chloe nodded. "I'm beginning to think 'the one' isn't out there," she said dejectedly.

"Of course it is," her mother said briskly, trying to cheer her up. "We just have to keep looking."

"But the shops will be closing in a few hours!" Chloe wailed despairingly, tears springing to her eyes as huge wave of disappointment overwhelmed her. She'd convinced herself that she'd find something today.

"Look – how about we orb to London, find a hotel for the night and get something to eat?" Paige said, sensing that her nephew's wife-to-be was rapidly approaching breaking point. "They're five hours ahead in Britain, so it's early evening there now. We could spend the day taking in the sights tomorrow, then start afresh on Monday morning."

"We're not orbing home tonight?" Chloe asked, somewhat surprised by Paige's suggestion of finding a hotel.

"If you're going to orb around the world, you should take advantage of the opportunity to stay over somewhere and see the sights, don't you think?" Paige replied.

Chloe smiled, feeling a little better. "I guess," she said. "I suppose I can get Francie to reschedule my appointments with Mrs Henderson and Mr Politzi on Monday. What about everyone else?"

The general consensus from the other women was a resounding yes.

"My boss owes me for all the extra time I put in over the last couple of weeks anyway," Emily told her cousin with a shrug.

Chloe's mood immediately lifted at this – it would be fun to take a break and play the tourist for a while. The wedding arrangements had taken over her entire life in recent weeks and it was all starting to get on top of her. Sometimes she wished that she and Wyatt could just orb off somewhere and elope, but she knew that she'd always regret getting married without her family in attendance if they did.

If only she could find the right dress, then not everything would seem such an uphill struggle. She couldn't sleep at night for thinking about it, and she'd broken down in tears on any number of occasions after various failed shopping trips. Wyatt was at a loss to know what to say to comfort her and she found herself venting her frustration on him more and more these days, something that she hated herself for afterwards, especially when she saw the wounded look on his face and the accompanying hurt in his eyes.

Wyatt occupied Chloe's thoughts almost constantly over the next twenty-four hours, such that when she and Emily returned to their shared hotel room on Sunday evening after an exhausting day's sightseeing, it had become vitally important to her to make amends for the way she'd inadvertently been treating him.

"What time is it in San Francisco?" she asked Emily as the two girls were getting dressed for dinner.

"Umm – they're about eight or nine hours behind, I think," her cousin replied, glancing at her watch, "So that makes it about eleven in the morning."

Chloe nodded and Emily smiled, guessing what – or rather who - was on her cousin's mind.

"The room service menu looks pretty good, or there are various restaurants nearby," she suggested artfully. "How long do you want me out of the way for?"

Chloe blushed. "You don't have to…" she started to say but broke off at Emily's knowing laugh.

"About midnight?" she requested after a brief pause.

Her cousin nodded. "Okay. What do you want me to tell the others? That you have a headache or something?"

Chloe considered it for a moment. "No, I think you better tell them the truth," she decided. "Mom will only fuss if you say I'm sick."

"And you wouldn't want her interrupting, would you?" Emily remarked slyly.

"Emily!" Chloe exclaimed. "That's not why I… Stop laughing!"

Emily swallowed her giggles with some effort. "Sorry," she said contritely.

"I've been really awful to Wyatt lately," Chloe explained. "Only I've been so focused on the wedding that I haven't been able to see it. Today helped me take a step back and look at things more objectively though, and I realised that marrying the man I love is the most important thing in the end. I just want to make sure he knows that."

"I'm sure he does, Chloe," Emily assured her.

"Maybe," Chloe replied. "But I need to tell him all the same."

Emily nodded, then slipped her bare feet into her shoes and grabbed her purse and key card. "All right, I'm going down to the bar to wait for the others. Use the 'Do not Disturb Sign' if midnight's too early, okay?"

Her cousin immediately shot her a 'you're not funny' look, and Emily grinned cheekily at her in return.

"Hey!" Chloe called after her as she turned to leave.

Emily looked around. "What?"

"Maybe you should call Chris. A night out in London would make a pretty cool third date, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Emily replied. "But Chris wants to take things slow and that'd make three dates in one week. I don't want to crowd him or anything."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Emily! You must have seen each other more often than that before you were officially dating. Why should it be any different now?"

"It shouldn't, I suppose," Emily said, still uncertain of what she should do for the best. "I'll think about it," she eventually concluded.

"Say hi to Wyatt for me, okay?" she added as she opened the door and went out into the corridor.

As the door closed behind her cousin with a faint click, Chloe shook her head in exasperation. Emily really needed to learn how to relax a little in her opinion. As far as she could see, Chris's interest was perfectly genuine and he wasn't so bothered about taking things slowly that he was failing to communicate that. It had been pretty obvious from Emily's flushed cheeks when she'd rejoined them in the apartment the other day, that his 'quick word outside' had been decidedly non-verbal in nature for instance, a happenstance that signalled his amorous intentions loud and clear as far as Chloe was concerned.

Still, she had her own relationship to worry about right now. So, with that in mind, she raised her voice and called out for Wyatt. A flurry of blue orbs followed and then he was standing in front of her.

"Is everything okay?" he asked worriedly, the moment his body emerged out of the twinkling orb lights.

Chloe smiled. "Everything's fine," she said, stepping forward and hugging him affectionately around the middle.

"You know that I love you, don't you?" she added, as she rested her cheek against his chest and breathed in of his familiar scent.

"Chloe – what's all this about?" Wyatt asked, still sounding concerned despite her assurances that everything was fine.

Chloe raised her head and looked up into his face. "I've been really horrible to you lately… No! Let me finish," she said, placing her fingers over his lips to prevent him from speaking. "Everything has been about the wedding recently, and you and me - our relationship I mean - has been pushed into the background because of it. What's worse, I've been taking out my anxieties on you and that's just not right."

Wyatt touched his forehead to hers as she paused for breath. "You worry too much, you know that?" he said.

"Don't tell me you haven't been upset by some of the things I've said in the heat of the moment," Chloe redressed. "I know you, okay? I've seen the look on your face sometimes and I hate that I'm the one who put it there. I'm so sorry."

Cupping her face in his hands, Wyatt bent and kissed her, softly and sweetly. "It's okay," he said. "You've been stressed about the arrangements, I get that."

"That's not the point though is it?" Chloe said. "With everything that's been going on; I've lost sight of what's really important – and that's you and me. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want the perfect wedding dress, but if I don't find it, I'll be happy marrying you regardless. I wanted you to know that."

Wyatt smiled. "I already knew," he said, tenderly tucking a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. "But it's still good to hear you say it."

"So," Chloe went on, looping her arms around his neck. "How about we forget about the wedding plans for a few hours and just concentrate on us?"

"Works for me," Wyatt replied, stealing another kiss from her upturned lips as his hands travelled down to rest on the curve of her hips. "Just give me a moment to tell Chris he's been stood up, okay?"

Chloe nodded. "Sure," she agreed and then smiled as a glimmer of an idea occurred to her. "Tell him that he might get a better offer if he takes the initiative and does a little continent hopping," she advised.

"Oh?" Wyatt asked with speculative gleam in his eyes.

"Just a suggestion," Chloe replied, her tone all feigned innocence.

Wyatt laughed. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

Chloe grinned, her violet-blue eyes twinkling merrily. "Nope," she admitted without a trace of remorse. "What's wrong with a little encouragement anyway?"

"Nothing - provided you don't take it too far."

"Well, I have to do something. Emily is determined to procrastinate about this. Apparently suggesting three dates in one week makes her a scary stalker lady."

Wyatt laughed again. "Okay – I'll tell him," he promised and then orbed out.

Picking up the room service menu from the dresser, Chloe sat down on the bed to await his return.

**OOOOOO**

_**In the Hotel Bar…**_

Still debating whether or not to call Chris, Emily absently sipped at the cocktail that she'd ordered, her eyes taking in the activity down below. The bar was situated on the mezzanine level of the ground floor and she had purposely chosen a seat next to the glass and chrome barrier, so she could observe what was going on in the hotel foyer underneath. She loved to watch the world go by in this way and would happily people-watch for hours given the choice.

"Hi! Can I join you?"

Emily turned around to see a smart-suited man standing next to her table, regarding her with a disarming twinkle in his chocolate-brown eyes. He was handsome in a tall, dark and debonair kind of way and his deceptively casual manner clued her into his intentions almost immediately.

"Umm… I'm waiting for my friends," she quickly told him, hoping to deflect his attention elsewhere.

"I don't mind waiting with you," he responded with effortless charm.

"And I have a boyfriend," she clarified for him, making the situation as clear as she possibly could.

"Well, he's a lucky man," her mystery admirer replied without missing a beat.

Emily suppressed a smile. He was persistent; she'd give him that. "On the contrary," she countered smoothly. "I'm a lucky woman."

A glimmer of a smile crossed the man's face at that. "I'm fighting a losing battle here, aren't I?" he enquired ruefully after a beat.

"I'd say so, yeah," Emily confirmed with a nod, relieved that he knew when to quit. "Nice try though."

"Thanks – I'm flattered… I think."

Emily laughed, and then her observant eyes made a quick sweep of the bar and its patrons. "Red dress, ten o'clock, by the Bonsai Tree," she advised when she located a suitable candidate.

"Huh?" her would-be suitor looked confused.

"I'm sure she'd love it if you offered to buy her a drink," Emily explained, flashing him a genuine smile this time.

Her companion flickered a backward glance at the woman in question. "Yeah?"

Emily nodded. "Trust me. I know these things."

"Thanks for the tip."

"You're welcome."

The man smiled broadly at her. "I hope your guy knows that he struck gold with you," he said. "I think that has to be the nicest brush off I've ever received."

"Well, I tried my best," Emily returned, acknowledging the compliment with a hint of a smile.

"Good Luck," she added by way of farewell.

"Thanks – I think I'm gonna need it."

Emily grinned. "Something tells me you're going to do just fine," she assured him.

"Well, there's only one way to find out, isn't there? Nice meeting you, err...?" He looked enquiringly at her for her name.

"Emily," she told him.

"Tom," he returned the favour.

"Go and sweep the lady off her feet then, Tom," she instructed.

Tom saluted her smartly. "Yes ma'am," he replied, and then turned on his heel and went to do just that.

Emily smiled to herself, warmed by the unexpected encounter. She wouldn't have taken him up on the offer of course, but it felt good to be singled out of the crowd. It gave her a much-needed ego boost – maybe she would call Chris after all…

"Admirer of yours?"

Emily turned her head at the sound of the familiar voice. Piper's tone was light and non-accusatory, but her brown eyes were regarding her son's new girlfriend penetratingly nevertheless. Realising that her answer was of extreme importance, Emily felt her stomach turn over in anxiety, but she refused to be intimidated and adopted an air of casual unconcern instead.

"Umm yeah, apparently," she admitted breezily, looking directly at Piper as she spoke, knowing that eye contact was all important in situations like this. "I pointed him in a direction where he might achieve more success though," she went on.

Piper held her gaze for a moment and then smiled. "Good answer," she congratulated as she sat down.

Emily relaxed, presuming that meant that she'd passed the first part of the girlfriend suitability test.

"Chloe's not with you?" Piper asked then.

"No, she's, err… with Wyatt. I think they wanted some, umm… couple time."

Piper nodded. "I think it's probably best if I don't ask for any more details on that," she declared sagely.

"I'd appreciate that," Emily returned in grateful relief, a faint blush tingeing the apples of her cheeks.

"So Chris tells me you're an Office Manager?" Piper continued conversationally.

"Umm yeah – I work for a firm that sells wedding stationary. I needed something to help pay the rent when I first moved to San Francisco, so I took a temporary clerical post there. I never got round to looking for something more permanent though, so when they offered me the post of Junior Office Manager in a new branch they were opening up in LA…"

"You decided to take it," Piper finished for her.

Emily nodded, a little uncomfortable with the direction that the conversation had taken. She didn't know how much Piper knew about what had happened between her, Chris and Bianca the previous year - she suspected nothing - and was conscious that she might not come across in the best light if the other woman knew the reason she'd accepted the job in LA.

Piper didn't seem to notice her discomfiture however, and moved the conversation forward without questioning her why she'd suddenly chosen to relocate again when she'd only just moved to San Francisco a few months before. Rather inexplicably, she asked why she'd returned instead, a query that was fortunately easier for Emily to answer without inadvertently dropping herself in it.

"It was only meant to be a temporary placement," she explained, "Although they did say I could stay on permanently if I wanted to. I missed my life and my friends back in San Francisco though, so I decided to come home. LA was fun and I met some great people there, but I don't think I'd have been happy staying permanently. It's a different kind of life – one that's not really me."

"Wyatt's friends Martin and Daniel live in LA now don't they?" Piper enquired.

Emily nodded. "Yeah - Wyatt introduced us. I got pretty friendly with Martin's sister Samantha and her roommate, April while I was there too."

"Samantha was in the same grade as Chris at school," she explained off Piper's blank look. "Although I think they were more friendly acquaintances than actual friends."

Piper nodded. "That's probably why I don't really remember her then. Martin and Daniel are a different story however. The two of them and Wyatt used to drive us to despair with their antics – the terrible trio we used to call them. They insisted on dragging Chris into the fray at every available opportunity as well, which I wasn't exactly happy about."

Emily smiled; knowing Martin and Daniel's propensity for practical jokes, she could easily imagine them getting into trouble as kids. However, she would have thought that Chris, being the more gregarious of the two brothers, would be more game for their little schemes than Wyatt was.

"Not that Chris actually complained too much," Piper went on, confirming her assessment. "But it caused me no end of worry at the time. They always seemed to conveniently forget that he was two years their junior."

"Wyatt wouldn't have let anything happen to him though," Emily said confidently.

"I know," Piper said. "But I suppose I've always been particularly overprotective of Chris because of…," she broke off, a dark shadow crossing her face as her eyes filled with sorrowful remembrance.

Emily didn't know what to say – she knew about the other Chris of course, but it didn't feel right to intrude on the other woman's private grief. Piper eventually turned her gaze back on her companion.

"You know," she said, seeing the answer reflected in the sympathetic expression on Emily's face.

Emily nodded. "Chris told me," she said. "A long time ago – before… when we were just friends."

Piper stared at her. "I never realised," she said.

"Never realised what?" Emily asked, unsure of what she meant.

"That you and he were that close before," Piper clarified. "I don't know… I guess I thought you were more Wyatt's friend. Until recently, he mentioned you much more than Chris ever did."

Emily felt her stomach flip-flop and her cheeks redden – they were back on that uncomfortable subject again. Trouble was, this time, she couldn't see any way out of it.

"I err…," she began and then broke off when she saw Piper's eyes widen in delighted surprise.

Twisting round to see what had distracted her; Emily was stunned to see Chris walking towards them in manner that suggested that turning up in a random hotel halfway around the globe was a normal everyday occurrence.

"Hi honey!" Piper greeted her son as he drew level with their table. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey Mom!" Chris said, stooping down to plant a swift kiss of greeting on her cheek before he settled himself on the two-seater sofa next to Emily.

"Figured I'd follow Wyatt's example and spend some time with my girl," he explained, shooting a quick smile at the girl in question.

Emily stared at him in open-mouthed astonishment, and then the reason for his unexpected appearance finally dawned on her. "Chloe," she said through clenched teeth.

"Via Wyatt," Chris concurred with a nod.

"I'll kill her!"

"Well you could, but I don't think my brother would be very happy. He can be pretty scary when he's angry, you know. I wouldn't provoke him if I were you."

"I'm sorry," Emily apologised. "She had no right to interfere like that. I know you want to take things slow. Please don't think I don't respect that."

"Hey relax," Chris said, placing a calming hand on her forearm in an attempt to appease her. "It's not a problem. I mean I was supposed to be hanging out with Wyatt, yeah, but your gorgeous face is a vast improvement on his ugly mug any day of the week."

Emily blushed rosily at the compliment, a warm feeling like newly melted chocolate stirring somewhere deep inside her. "Now you're just trying to sweet talk me," she accused.

"Is that a problem?" Chris asked softly, his voice light and flirtatious in tone.

Looking back into his captivating green eyes, Emily felt a combination of both fear and excitement pass through her. This new side of Chris was something that she hadn't experienced until a few days ago and it both thrilled and scared her in equal measure. There was nothing calculated in his actions, she realised, it was simply his way of letting her know that he liked her as more than a friend. She didn't know why it made her feel so off balance – it was what she had wanted for almost a year now after all. Perhaps that was the problem – allowing him access to the vulnerabilities of her heart meant taking a risk and opening herself up to the possibility of being hurt again, something that she was still working up the courage to do.

"Hello? Anyone home?"

Emily blinked, startled from her thoughts by Chris's teasing question. "Sorry," she said, her cheeks flushing red again. 'Jesus girl, get a grip' she internally admonished herself.

She shot a quick glance at Piper then and her stomach curled in embarrassment. The dark-haired witch was watching the little exchange with interest, her eyes narrowed shrewdly. Emily could almost see the cogs turning in her brain and felt the sudden urge to get out of there – fast. She was on her feet before she even realised what she was doing.

"I umm… I need to go to the bathroom," she said to cover her confusion and then high-tailed it out of there.

"Emily. Wait!" Chris caught up with her as she left the bar area.

"She knows!" Emily exclaimed, wringing her hands in agitation.

"Hey!" Chris soothed, rubbing his hands up and down her upper arms to calm her. "Relax, okay? You're worrying over nothing."

Emily scoffed. "Not if your mother thinks I'm the type of person who deliberately steals someone else's boyfriend, I'm not," she returned.

"She's not going to think that, because that's not who you are."

"Aren't I?" Emily asked.

"Emily…"

"I was glad when you and Bianca split up," she admitted guiltily.

Chris speared his fingers through her hair and kissed her on the forehead. "Nobody's a saint," he told her when he drew back. "What's more important is how you acted, not how you felt. You could have turned the rocky state of mine and Bianca's relationship to your advantage but you didn't. There are plenty of people in your situation who wouldn't have felt so morally obliged to do the right thing, you know."

Emily sighed. "Don't you feel guilty?" she asked him. "About dating me, I mean."

"I did at first," Chris admitted. "I think that's why I held back from asking you out for so long. Finally, I realised that I couldn't pass up the opportunity of being with you just because the circumstances in which we met were less than ideal. I'd always regret it if I did."

Taking her hand, he drew her over to a secluded spot near the wall before continuing. "I like you, Emily, I always have. It was purely as a friend at first, but I did start to feel a spark of something more before you left for LA. I pushed it aside though because, at the time, I was committed to Bianca and would never have dreamed of betraying her."

He paused to take a breath and then continued. "There are a few shades of grey there, I know, but neither of us have consciously done anything wrong here. We handled a difficult situation in the best way we knew how. If circumstances hadn't revealed what were essentially private feelings on your part, nobody would think anything of us dating now anyway."

"You might not have asked me out if things had been different though," Emily pointed out.

Chris laughed and then leaned forward until they were practically nose-to-nose. "Trust me – I would have asked," he assured her, sealing that declaration with a kiss that left her in no doubt.

"Your Mom's gonna think I'm a real basket-case," Emily bemoaned when they drew apart.

"I'll talk to her," Chris promised, "Provided you're okay with that, of course."

"I guess I'm going to have to be," Emily said, somewhat reluctantly.

"Look – I know Mom can be a bit intimidating at times, but she is reasonable with it. I don't think she's going to judge you unfairly."

"I hope not," Emily replied.

"She might not even suspect anything anyway."

Emily laughed. "Chris, come off it! I acted like a crazy person back there."

"You were nervous and jumpy, yes, but she doesn't know the reason why. How could she?"

"Don't you think she should know? I mean we can't keep it a secret forever – somebody is bound to say something at some point."

"I know, but I don't see a need to tell her right now unless we have to. We've only just started dating. Let's not make things more complicated than they have to be. As much as I love her, I don't want to spend the evening in heavy conversation with my Mom. I came here for a fun night out with you."

Emily smiled. "All right," she agreed. "Give me a minute to freshen up and then we can go."

"I'll go and talk to my Mom," Chris decided. "Find out how the land lies."

Emily nodded and then made her way towards the women's bathroom, while Chris turned on his heel and headed back towards the table where his mother was sitting.

"Is she okay?" Piper asked as he sat down.

Chris nodded. "Yes," he said vaguely.

"You will be careful, won't you?"

"Mom…"

"She likes you a lot," Piper carried on, ignoring his protest. "That much is obvious. But she's very nervous around you too. I think that may be because she's been hurt badly in the past, so you just make sure you treat her right, okay?"

Chris stared at his mother in amazement. This was the last thing that he expected to hear.

"I didn't bring my sons up to be good-for-nothing Casanovas," Piper continued sternly.

"This isn't a casual relationship, Mom," Chris assured her, finally finding his voice. "We both want more than that. We've decided to take things slow for the time being though."

"That sounds like a sensible decision," Piper approved.

There was a short silence and then…

"A good-for-nothing Casanova?" Chris enquired in protest, his green eyes filled with teasing mirth.

Piper smiled. "You were blindsiding her with that boyish charm of yours," she pointed out.

"Emily gets a bit uptight sometimes," Chris replied with a shrug. "Some gentle repartee helps her to relax."

"And of course there couldn't possibly be any other reason for the charm offensive," his mother returned with a knowing smile.

"MOM!"

Piper laughed. "I'm not that naïve, you know," she said. "I was your age once upon a time, even if it was in the dim and distant past."

"That doesn't mean we have to talk about it!"

"Just as long as you're careful."

Chris rolled his eyes. "Mom! You - or rather Dad I should say - gave me the birds, bees and responsibility speech years ago. I do not need reminding. It's hardly an issue right now anyway. It's only our third date."

Piper smiled broadly at that, but didn't comment.

"What?" Chris asked off the fond look that she gave him instead.

His mother shook her head. "Nothing," she replied. "You just go and enjoy your date."

"I'd make a quick exit if I were you though," she advised. "Your Aunts will be down soon and then the two of you really will be subjected to the third degree."

Chris laughed, knowing that to be true. His Mom might have an overprotective streak, but at least she showed some sense of propriety when questioning her sons about their private lives. Paige and Phoebe showed no such compunction however, usually wanting to know every last detail. Chris had been successfully dodging their questions about Emily for the past couple of days now, but he was resigned to the fact that they would corner him eventually.

He didn't intend for that to happen tonight however. So, taking his mother's advice, he rose purposefully to his feet as soon as Emily rejoined them. "You ready to go?" he asked her.

Taking that to mean that all was well, Emily nodded in the affirmative, a huge sense of relief washing over her.

"Good – let's go then," Chris said, taking her firmly by the hand. "Bye Mom."

"Bye Mrs Wyatt," Emily called over her shoulder as he hurried her away, forcing her to almost run to keep up with his long strides.

"What did she say?" she asked, once they were out of earshot.

"She warned me to treat you with respect," Chris replied.

"You're kidding me, right?"

"No, she thought your mini freak-out was probably because you'd been hurt badly in the past – which I guess is sort of true. Anyway, I'm to make sure that I don't behave like a good-for-nothing Casanova apparently."

Emily giggled and then turned serious again as they made their way down the short flight of steps into the foyer. "I was thinking that you should probably tell her about what happened though. I wouldn't want her to hear anything second-hand."

Chris nodded. "Okay, but let's not worry about that right now. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Is there some reason we're in such a hurry?" Emily asked when their fast pace made her slip on the highly polished floor. She only remained upright because of Chris's firm grip on her hand.

"My Aunts," Chris told her as he helped her right herself. "If we don't get out of here before they arrive, we'll be given the Spanish Inquisition."

Emily laughed. "I'm sure it can't be that bad," she said.

"Wanna a bet?" Chris asked as they finally reached the huge revolving door and escaped out into the warm London night…

Upstairs in the bar, Piper watched them go, a small smile hovering on the corner of her lips. Her boys reminded her of her husband so much sometimes. Leo had grown up in a different time and had some old-fashioned values that he'd instilled in both his sons, almost without thinking about it. Chris's comment about sex not being an issue on a third date was a classic example of that. She knew there were probably many - perfectly decent - young men of his age, who wouldn't have any such qualms about that kind of intimacy so early on in a relationship. It made her proud to think that her boys were different.

All in all, she was getting good vibes about this new relationship of her youngest son's. Emily was clearly besotted and Chris seemed very relaxed in her company as well, which were both good signs. The only potential blot on the landscape that Piper could envisage was Emily's previous relationship issues, but only time would tell on whether they would get in the way or not. For now, she guessed she would just have to wait and see how things developed…

_**To be continued…**_


	29. Wheels of Fortune

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Sorry for the slighter bigger gap than usual between updates. It's basically because this chapter is much longer than normal, so it consequently took me more time to write. I did think about putting the last scene in the next part so I could post sooner, but I eventually decided it would seem out of place so left it as is.

You'll also probably think I work for the UK tourist board after reading the beginning of this (!), but I wanted something cool for Chris and Emily to do on their date and a trip on the London Eye seemed like just the thing. I'm taking some dramatic licence and assuming it'll still be around in twenty or so year's time of course!

Anyhow, for those of you who don't know, the Eye is like a gigantic Ferris wheel with glass cabins and you can pretty much see the whole of London from the top. Just type 'London Eye' into your search engine and you'll see what I mean.

As ever, thanks for all the reviews. Apologies for the short replies this time round, but I didn't have much time and I wanted to make sure I got this posted tonight.

* * *

**Chapter 29**

_**High up on the London Eye…**_

"It says it was first built to celebrate the Millennium," Chris said, reading from the thin guidebook in his hand.

He was sitting on the wooden bench in the centre of the cabin, while Emily stood with her fingers pressed against the glass, gazing out in wonder over the vast array of coloured lights that comprised the London skyline at night.

"And it was fully refurbished for the second time six months ago," Chris went on.

"Good to know," his girlfriend remarked, flashing him a quick grin over her shoulder.

Chris smiled. "It is rather high up, isn't it?" he agreed, getting to his feet and coming to stand behind her.

He slipped his arms around her waist and she instinctively laced her fingers through his before nestling back against him with a contented sigh. They stood in silence for a while, taking in the spectacular view as the one hundred and thirty-five metre high observation wheel slowly completed the second leg of its three hundred and sixty degree journey.

Far below them, the water of the Thames looked inky black in the fading twilight, while, on the other side of the river, the majestic Palace of Westminster stood, lit up by hundreds of warm, golden floodlights. The round face of the huge timepiece in the Clock Tower glowed like a full moon on a clear night and, as they gazed out over the scene before them, Big Ben struck the hour, its chimes echoing around the cabin and filling their ears with a deeply resonant sound.

"So was this a good idea or what?" Emily asked, tilting her head back to look up into her boyfriend's face as the last gong faded into nothingness.

She and the other women had come to look at the London Eye during their whistle-stop sightseeing tour earlier that day, but the queue for tickets had been so long that they hadn't had time to take a ride. While they were there though, Emily had noticed that the Wheel remained open until around ten at night, and so had suggested to Chris that they check it out after their meal.

Because they were on one of the very last rides of the day, the crowds had dwindled to the point where they were afforded the luxury of a whole cabin to themselves, a twist of fate that only added to the romance of the occasion as far as Emily was concerned. Feeling more than a little starry-eyed, she couldn't quite bring herself to look at the situation more realistically. She finally had the man she'd wanted for so long by her side and that was all that mattered.

Chris smiled down into her upturned face. "Yeah, I think this can be classed as a good idea," he said in answer to her question. "Remind me to take you up to the top of the Golden Gate Bridge when we get back home. If you like this, you're gonna love it up there."

Taking one last look at the London skyline, Emily twisted around in his arms and snuggled in closer, letting out a soft, happy sigh as she did so.

"You're supposed to be admiring the view," Chris admonished her.

"I am," she replied, tilting her head back and smiling beatifically up into his face.

Standing on her tiptoes, she then boldly pressed her mouth against his, initiating the kiss that she'd been craving for the last fifteen minutes. Stooping to meet her halfway, Chris tunnelled his fingers through her flame-red hair and responded with tender passion, his lips moist and whisper-soft against hers. Standing in the circle of each other's arms, they continued to exchange warm, gentle kisses until their cabin finally reached the end of its circular journey and they were forced to separate.

**OOOOOO**

Hours later, Emily was woken from a dreamless slumber by the sound of a vacuum cleaner whirring into life nearby. Opening her eyes, she saw a pair of denim clad knees and a large expanse of maroon carpet in front of her. A squashy cushion supported her head and she could feel a hand resting lightly in the curve of her waist, the fingers warming her skin through the material of her clothes.

It took her a little while to become cognisant of her surroundings, but she eventually remembered where she was. She and Chris had headed for one of the communal lounges when they'd arrived back at the Hotel last night, neither one ready for their date to end, in spite of the late hour.

Cuddled up together on a sofa in the far corner of the room, they'd talked, laughed and exchanged kisses into the early hours of the morning, quietly revelling in their newly acquired intimacy. Given her current location, Emily assumed she must have fallen asleep at some point, although she couldn't actually remember doing so now. Properly awake, she turned over onto her back and looked up into the face of the man in whose lap her head had been resting while she slept.

"Morning sunshine!" Chris greeted her with a cheery smile.

"How long have I been asleep?" Emily asked groggily.

"Err… about five hours," he informed her after a quick glance at his watch.

"Have you been awake all that time?" she queried.

"Pretty much," Chris replied. "I dozed on and off, but I'm still on San Francisco time so it's only about ten in the evening for me."

Emily nodded. Her own body clock had shifted much more towards European time after two days away from home so, in contrast, she had had no such trouble sleeping.

"You should have woken me up," she said, sitting up and turning around to face him.

"I liked watching you sleep," Chris told her with a soft smile.

Emily blushed. "For five hours?"

"Well – I watched some TV too," he admitted, indicating the remote control on the sofa arm. "You're gorgeous to look at and all that, but you're infinitely more entertaining when you're awake."

Emily laughed. "Is that so?"

"That's definitely so," Chris informed her, leaning forward to plant a sound kiss on her lips to emphasise the point.

"We should go back up to the room," Emily said when they drew apart. "We're in the way," she added, nodding at the uniformed young woman, who was hard at work making the lounge habitable for another day's quota of guests. "And Chloe'll be wondering where I've gotten to as well."

"That's assuming she's noticed the time," Chris said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"I take it Wyatt's still here then?" Emily asked.

"Yup," Chris replied with a nod, "Unless my sensing radar is faulty for some reason."

"I guess you weren't the only one who fell asleep," he added after a beat.

Emily laughed. "Well, seeing as you're both here, I suppose you might as well stay for breakfast."

"You sure about that?" Chris asked as they made their way across the lobby towards the elevators. "I mean your mother, mine, a full set of Aunts, not to mention my incredibly nosey cousin – that's quite an interrogation team."

Emily smiled. "I'm sure we'll survive," she told him

Chris shrugged. "If you say so," he replied, "But you can bet there'll be some serious speculation going on – especially as I've been here all night."

Emily wrinkled her nose in consternation. "I guess I didn't think of that," she said as the elevator pinged and the doors slid open.

"Your Mom does know we're dating, right?" Chris asked as they stepped inside and pressed the button for the fifth floor.

Emily nodded. "Yeah, I told her on Saturday."

"So I should expect the 'what are your intentions towards my daughter?' question then?" Chris asked in a resigned tone.

Emily smiled. "Probably," she concurred with a nod. "I don't know what you're complaining about though – I had to put up with the same thing from your Mom yesterday and she's way scarier. At least my Mom can't blow you up if she doesn't like your answer!"

Chris chuckled. "There is that I suppose."

"It's not my Mom you have to worry about anyway," Emily continued, her sunny expression fading somewhat. "I think it's safe to say my Dad is probably gonna hate you."

"Witches fall into the unsuitable boyfriend category, huh?" Chris said.

Emily nodded. "Yeah," she said softly, looking down at her feet. "Try not to take it personally, okay? It's not you, it's him. He can't handle my Wicca side and he'll see you as part of that, yet another reason for me not to give up the magic like he wants me to."

"Hey," Chris said quietly, crooking his finger under her chin and raising her gaze to his. "Don't worry about it. I'd prefer it if he liked me, sure, but it's not going to put me off if he doesn't. Disapproving fathers I can handle - Bianca's Dad wasn't that enamoured of me either."

Emily sighed. "If I actually ever manage to get him to accept me for me…," she said, trailing off with a miserable shrug of her shoulders.

Chris nodded. "And if you can't?" he asked.

"Then I refuse to let him ruin what I've waited so long for," Emily said determinedly.

The elevator reached the fifth floor then and they proceeded, fingers intertwined, down the hallway towards Emily and Chloe's shared room. The 'Do Not Disturb' sign was still hanging crookedly on the handle and the two of them exchanged knowing smiles before Chris rapped sharply on the door to announce their presence.

"Hey Mr-and-Mrs-to-be in there?" he called through the wood. "Rise and shine time! And make sure you're decent!"

Muffled sounds of movement could be heard from within the room, and then Wyatt answered the door, barefoot but dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, his hair still damp from the shower.

"You can talk," he said to his brother without any preamble, "Keeping an innocent woman out all hours of the night. Where've you been all this time?"

"Like you don't already know," Chris said as he stepped over the threshold after Emily and firmly closed the door behind them.

"What's that's supposed to mean?" Wyatt demanded.

Chris shot him a meaningful look, causing his brother to grin and playfully punch him on the upper arm.

"Did you get any of that?" Chloe asked her cousin.

She was sitting, cross-legged, on one of the beds, her head tipped to one side as she pulled a comb through her wet hair, attempting to separate the delicate strands before they dried into unmanageable tangles.

"No, it must be secret brother language," Emily replied, sitting down on the other bed.

"Actually it's overprotective brother language," Chris said. "I'm twenty-five, but he still senses for me every few hours to check where I am, would you believe?"

"Well, you can hardly blame me, Mr 'I stupidly got stuck in an Ice Cage and nearly froze to death when I was twenty-three,'" Wyatt swiftly retorted.

Chloe and Emily exchanged confused glances. "What?" the latter asked.

"Never mind," her boyfriend replied, looking distinctly embarrassed.

"Oh no, I think I want to hear this," Emily rejoined teasingly.

Chris threw his brother a chagrined look. "Thanks," he said sarcastically.

"Don't mention it," Wyatt replied glibly.

"So…?" Emily prompted.

"It was just after I found out about the other me," Chris began, taking a seat beside her on the bed. "Mom and Dad gave me his diary to read. They'd found it among his things after he, err… well, died. I guess they thought it would help me understand him better. Anyway, he started it about three months before he came back to the past and wrote about his plans to use the Titan attack as a smokescreen. I told you about that, right?"

Emily nodded, not really understanding why this was significant.

"He'd researched the subject pretty thoroughly and… well, long story short – I was curious so I went to visit the place where the Greek Gods had originally entombed the Titans…"

"Without telling anyone where he was going, I might add," Wyatt cut in.

Emily suppressed a smile, starting to guess where this might be leading.

"The place was still partially enchanted and I umm… happened to step on the exact place where Cronus had been imprisoned and… well, you get the picture."

"So there he was, trapped in ice, unable to orb out or call for help," Wyatt said, taking over the narrative. "Luckily for him though, we were supposed to be going to the game that day. So when he didn't show up, I knew something was wrong."

"Seeing as he's sitting here perfectly healthy, I take it you got there in time to save him," Chloe surmised.

"Only just," Wyatt answered. "He was blue, suffering from frost-bite, hypothermia, you name it. Mom freaked out big time when she found out."

"You didn't have to tell her," Chris objected.

"Right, so how else were you going to explain away the ice-burns I couldn't heal properly then?" Wyatt asked.

"Well if you're going to be all logical about it…," Chris grumbled good-naturedly.

"Telling her turned out to be a good thing anyway," Wyatt reminded him quietly.

Chris nodded. "Yeah," he agreed solemnly.

"Things were pretty strained between us and Mom and Dad after they told us the truth about the other me," the younger Halliwell went on to explain to the two curious young women. "We couldn't believe that they'd lied to us our whole lives."

"We didn't really understand that they were only trying to protect us," Wyatt continued. "We were just so angry at them. Mom was completely distraught when she found out about Chris's little mishap though - and Dad wasn't much better. I suppose it made us realise that we weren't the only ones affected by what had happened. They'd lost a son; nothing could ever really equal the pain of that. Our resentment seemed kind of petty in comparison."

"It got us talking to each other properly again anyway," Chris finished off the story, "So I guess my unfortunate blunder had a happy conclusion in the end."

"Not that I trust him not to get himself into that kind of trouble again though," Wyatt commented dryly. "I beginning to think that 'reckless' is his middle name."

"Hence my apparent need for a bodyguard," Chris said with a long-suffering roll of his eyes.

Emily smiled, knowing his annoyance was mostly feigned. The two brothers were equally protective of each other, just in different ways. While Wyatt showed his concern in a much more overt, big brotherly way, Chris simply stood steadfast by his older sibling's side, always ready to take the strain if the pressure of his twice-blessed destiny got too much for him.

"So," Wyatt said expansively. "I don't know about anyone else, but breakfast sounds like heaven on a plate right now."

"Okay but after that I'm kicking you both out," Chloe said decisively. "I've got a wedding dress to find and you'll be in the way."

"Nice to know we're so wanted, isn't it?" Wyatt commented to his brother.

Chris nodded. "I think I'm actually offended," he said, tongue in cheek. "Are you absolutely sure you don't want to rethink this marriage?"

"Well, I would," Wyatt replied. "But there's just this one tiny problem…"

"What would that be then?" Chris enquired playfully.

"I think she's seriously hot," Wyatt answered, flashing a wide grin at his fiancée, who promptly stuck her tongue out at him in return.

Twenty minutes later, the four of them were downstairs in the restaurant, studying the breakfast menu and chatting quietly amongst themselves.

"I don't suppose we're going to make it out of here before the interrogation squad descends, are we?" Chris bemoaned, as he sipped at his orange juice and tried to make up his mind what he wanted to eat – a full English or Blueberry pancakes, it was a tough decision.

"I'm saying not," Wyatt replied, nodding towards the restaurant entrance where the rest of the Halliwell clan had just appeared, along with Emily and Chloe's Moms.

"Fabulous," Chris remarked with a grimace. "Just great."

"Still here?" Paige pointedly asked her youngest nephew as she sat down on the other side of Emily.

"Still here," Chris returned blandly, refusing to be drawn. "I'll have the Full English," he told the waiter, ignoring his Aunt's disappointed little pout.

Bella shot Emily a slightly speculative look as she took her seat. She didn't want her daughter rushing into anything with her new boyfriend, not when the potential for her to be hurt was so high. Emily stared straight back at her however, her gaze unwavering and unashamed, and her mother immediately relaxed, reassured by the unspoken assertion in her daughter's blue eyes.

After they'd all exchanged greetings, the conversation stalled and Chris and Emily started to feel a bit like bugs under a particularly powerful microscope. After a while, Prue began to giggle and promptly received twin looks of annoyance from both her cousin and his new girlfriend for her trouble.

"Before everyone's imagination goes into overdrive, this is not what it looks like, okay?" Chris said irritably. "If you must know I spent the night in one of the Hotel lounges."

"Alone?" Prue asked, unable to resist the opportunity to aggravate him in front of an audience.

"No, but if we'd been doing what you're not so subtly suggesting, we'd have been arrested," her cousin snapped, his temper beginning to fray a little. "It's non of your damn business anyway, so just butt the hell out, okay?"

"Chris…," Piper warned her son as Emily and Wyatt simultaneously placed calming hands on his forearms.

Phoebe frowned at her daughter, who quickly backed down, sensing that she'd taken things a little too far. She didn't understand why Chris was being so hypersensitive all of sudden though. It wasn't as if they didn't tease each other like this all the time, was it?

"Not in company we don't," Wyatt bent to murmur in her ear, somehow reading her mind and supplying her with the answer to her unspoken query.

Prue looked over at Mrs Hargreaves and felt instantly contrite. She'd not really considered that.

Her hand still clutching Chris's arm in an iron grip, Emily cast a wary glance at her mother, willing her to understand. There was a tense silence and then…

"Families, hey? What would we do without them?" Bella remarked sagely.

"Hopefully make a good impression instead of a horribly bad one," Chris said ruefully, gratefully taking the offered escape route.

He threw a belligerent glance at his cousin, while Emily silently mouthed the words 'Thank you' to her mother over his shoulder.

"Well, there's no need to worry," Bella said, acknowledging her daughter's thanks with a faint smile. "I'm yet to make a judgement, so you've still got time to turn it around and impress me."

"Mom!" Emily protested, her face turning beet-red.

Bella laughed. "Works every time," she commented to the other mothers around the table, who laughed along with her.

"Ssh! You're giving away trade secrets," Phoebe said. "They have no idea we do it on purpose."

"So are we to assume that these dates of yours are leading somewhere then?" Paige asked Chris, unable to contain her curiosity a moment longer.

"Is it so vitally important that you know every single detail of my love life?" her nephew complained, despite knowing it was a rhetorical question.

"Yes," his two Aunts replied in tandem.

Chris sighed in resignation and turned to look at Emily, his green eyes regarding her with an unreadable expression in them. "Yes," he said slowly. "I think it's leading somewhere."

"Aww! That's so sweet!" Phoebe gushed, clapping her hands together in delight.

"Mom! You are _so_ embarrassing," Prue lamented with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

Emily blushed a deep rosy red under Chris's calm, steady gaze, her heart fluttering about wildly inside her chest. It wasn't as if she didn't know that things were going well between them, but to hear him openly admit it like that in front of everyone was something else altogether. Not knowing quite how to react, she shot him a shy smile, looking bashfully up at him through her eyelashes. Slipping his hand into hers, Chris gave her fingers a warm squeeze before he downed the rest of his orange juice and helped himself to a piece of toast.

The rest of breakfast passed without further incident. Then, after bidding farewell to their extended family, Wyatt and Chris headed back upstairs with Emily and Chloe so that they could orb home to San Francisco away from prying eyes.

"Are you okay?" Chris asked, stopping Emily just inside the doorway. "You were kind of quiet at breakfast."

"I'm fine," Emily replied as Wyatt and Chloe headed further into bedroom to say goodbye. "I just… did you mean that?"

"Mean what?" Chris asked, looking puzzled.

"What you said about us downstairs," she replied. "About this leading somewhere, I mean."

"Oh," Chris said, his confused expression clearing to one of understanding. "Of course I did. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't."

Emily nodded, her lips quirking up into a small smile. Hooking one arm around her waist, Chris tugged her closer and pressed his lips against her forehead.

"You have to stop expecting the worst," he murmured into her hair as she wrapped her arms around his back and hugged him.

"I'm trying," Emily mumbled into the crook of his neck. "It's not always that easy though."

Chris stepped back a little and looked down into her face. "I promise I'll make it worth the effort," he said, a hint of laughter in his tone.

Emily smiled, not realising how effortlessly he'd coaxed her out of her attack of insecurity. "How can a girl resist?" she said, playfully fluttering her eyelashes at him.

"Hopefully she can't," Chris said, regarding her with a distinctly naughty twinkle in his green eyes.

Emily blushed like a schoolgirl and he laughed rather wickedly, making her blush all the more. Curling his hand around the nape of her neck, he then dipped his head and kissed her with his usual thoroughness, leaving her in no doubt in which direction he envisaged their relationship going. When they drew apart, they went to join Wyatt and Chloe, who were just breaking off a similar embrace.

"I'll see you later, okay?" Wyatt said as he stepped back.

Chloe nodded. "Wish me luck," she replied.

"You'll find it, I know you will," he assured her. "I have a good feeling about today."

"Well at least someone does," Chloe told him with a wry smile.

"You're such a pessimist. Have some faith and you might just be surprised."

"Yes coach," Chloe replied, nodding her head in mock solemnity.

Wyatt looked steadily at her. "Are you ever going to take me seriously?" he complained.

"Err… that would be a no," his fiancée replied and then laughed and threw her arms about his neck. "I love you."

"Yeah well, I love you too – even if it does mean I'm certifiably insane."

"He's such a charmer, isn't he?" Chloe said over her shoulder to her cousin. "I mean how could I possibly not fall for a line like that?"

Emily smiled, slightly envious about how free and easy Chloe and Wyatt were with each other. She hoped that she and Chris would have that one day, that she wouldn't be afraid to say she loved him for fear of the sentiment not being returned in kind. Those three little words would be locked inside her heart until she heard them from his lips first however, because she needed that reassurance before she took that fateful step. She knew it wasn't fair of her to expect that of him so soon into their relationship though, so for now she would just have to wait while he played catch up.

At least all the signs pointed towards a positive outcome on that. He was subtly stepping up the heat between them with every day that passed and she knew he wasn't the type to do so without due consideration. Her hopes were high, but her head was still preaching caution. It had only been a week; she mustn't get ahead of herself. There were still so many things that could go wrong. Trying to run before you could walk usually meant a big fall before long; she'd be wise to remember that.

And yet, she wasn't imagining the growing intimacy between them, was she? Chris seemed to be serious in his intentions towards her and showed every indication of wanting more than just a casual relationship. When they were together, the doubts were mostly kept at bay. Unfortunately, they had a nasty habit of returning to haunt her every time they parted company.

She trusted Chris to be honest with her, what she didn't trust was her own potential for seeing things that weren't there, for reading more into a situation than there actually was. She'd let herself hope for something between them when it hadn't been on offer before now. How could she be certain that she wouldn't do that again? Everyone kept telling her to relax and go with the flow, but it wasn't that easy when her dreams could be so easily shattered into a million pieces.

"Well, I suppose it's time we were going."

Wyatt's voice broke through the confused welter of thoughts whirling around in Emily's head and she looked up to see the two brothers standing, side-by-side, ready to leave. Forcing herself to return Chris's parting smile, she was relieved to see that he didn't seem to have noticed her disquiet.

Chloe however, was a different matter entirely. "What's wrong?" she demanded of her cousin, the moment the two witch-whitelighters had left in a swirl of blue lights. "Don't tell me, you're over-analyzing again."

"I don't over-analyze," Emily protested.

Chloe scoffed. "Yeah right."

"You don't understand!"

"Emily I do, believe me. But I think it's about time you started to accept that Chris really likes you. He said as much at breakfast this morning, or weren't you listening? Plus, you don't think he kisses you that way out of politeness, do you?"

"You don't know how he kisses me!"

"Me and Wyatt were watching you both just now," Chloe told her unashamedly.

"What?" Emily stared at her in outrage.

Chloe shrugged. "You can't blame us for being curious," she said. "That's beside the point anyway - you're my cousin, more than that you're my best friend. If I had any doubts about Chris's sincerity, then I'd be telling you to be careful and not to let your heart rule your head. I'm not though, am I?"

Emily sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed. "It's just that doesn't feel as strongly as me," she said disconsolately.

"He's not far off, Emily," Chloe argued. "Look – I'm not trying to diminish what you went through, but for love to evolve it has to be a two-way thing. The other person has to let you into their heart for things to progress. Your feelings for Chris are growing stronger because he's giving something back now."

"I suppose," Emily agreed.

"But you're letting your fear of getting hurt again stop you from seeing what's right in front of your face."

"Like what?"

"Like the way Chris feels about you," her cousin told her. "Sometimes you seem almost blind to it. What is it that you so afraid of anyway? That he'll suddenly take it all back and say 'Ha! Just kidding'?"

"Something like that, I guess," Emily admitted.

"I think you're a better judge of character than that, don't you?" Chloe said. "You've usually managed to fall in love with someone at least halfway decent before now."

"Well, apart from Jed," she amended, referring to an old boyfriend of her cousin's, who held the dubious distinction of being what one would describe as a 'bad boy'.

Emily's lips quirked up into a smile. "Jed was cute."

"Jed was a jerk," Chloe retaliated.

"Yeah well, I was going through a rebellious phase at the time."

"So I noticed," Chloe said with a sarcastic roll of her eyes.

Emily laughed. "I was in my first year of college, trying to find out who I was and where I fit into the world. If that's not an excuse for choosing an unsuitable boyfriend, I don't know what is. Besides, it was fun while it lasted."

"I suppose he did have his charms," Chloe conceded reluctantly. "No concept of the word monogamy though."

"Which is why I dumped him and emptied the entire contents of a half-melted ice bucket over his head," Emily reminded her.

Chloe grinned, remembering the incident with relish. For an image conscious guy like Jed, public humiliation was the worst kind of punishment imaginable and her cousin had meted it out in spectacular style. Mr Suave-and-Sophisticated had been left dripping wet with his carefully gelled and spiked hair flattened like a pancake to his scalp. Emily, meanwhile, had walked out of the crowded party with her head held high and her dignity intact.

"Playing the victim never was your style," Chloe remarked blandly.

"Meaning it is now?" Emily asked, catching the subtle inference.

"To a certain degree, yeah," Chloe said. "Chris hasn't given you any reason not to trust him, and yet it's almost as if you're expecting something to go wrong."

Emily sighed, her panic attack having finally subsided to a manageable level. "Chris pretty much said the same thing earlier."

"He's only going to be so patient for so long, you know," Chloe pointed out.

"I know; I'm trying, all right? I… it will get easier, won't it?"

Chloe nodded. "I was afraid with Wyatt too, you know, but the closer we got, the less it bothered me."

Emily rested her forehead against her fingertips. "I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster ride, Chloe," she said. "I'm so up and down all the time. One minute I couldn't be happier, the next I'm stressing out over things that may never happen. It's crazy!"

"Actually, I'd say it was perfectly normal in a situation like yours. Perhaps you just need a little bit of help to see things more clearly."

"What kind of help?" Emily said. "I might be a bit off centre at the moment, but I don't think I need therapy just yet."

"No, but you'd probably benefit from having your energies realigned," Chloe replied. "I treat family for free, you know," she added by way of extra inducement.

Emily stared at her cousin with a certain amount of trepidation in her gaze. Chloe had never used her power on her before and, while she trusted her, it still felt a little weird.

"I won't do it if you don't want me to," her cousin said.

"No, I just… you think it will help?"

"I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't."

"Okay," Emily said slowly, "So what do I do?"

"Just lie back, close your eyes and try to relax," Chloe instructed.

Emily did that and waited, not knowing what to expect. The mattress dipped a little as Chloe sat down beside her, and then she felt the feather-light touch of her cousin's fingertips against her forehead. A feeling of immense calm immediately washed over her before a tingling warmth slowly spread throughout her entire body. How long she lay there in a state of meditative calm she didn't know, but the gentle, stroking touch of Chloe's fingers against her right cheek finally roused her from the hazy stupor.

"Wow!" she breathed as she opened her eyes. "That was just… heavenly."

"Feel better?" Chloe asked as Emily sat up and locked her hands together above her head to stretch out her muscles.

Emily nodded. "Yeah," she said and then laughed a little giddily. "Remind me why I've never let you do that before now."

Chloe smiled. "I don't think there's ever been an occasion when you've needed it before," she said. "But with everything that has happened with Chris, your kidnapping by those horrible demons, not to mention the estrangement from your Dad – it's no wonder your aura ended up all twisted into knots."

"It's not going to make the fear go away though, is it?" Emily said.

"No, but it will help you deal with it better," Chloe replied. "Stressed out people can't see the wood from the trees. Calmer people are able to look at things more objectively."

Emily nodded. "You know, I don't think I've ever fully appreciated what you do for people before. I wish I did something so worthwhile with my life."

"Emily, you do."

"Chloe, I work in an office."

"But you also help Wyatt and Chris fight evil in your spare time," her cousin pointed out. "Don't sell yourself short."

Emily shook her head with a smile. "I don't know how Wyatt can call you a pessimist; you're the most optimistic person I know."

"Except when it comes to finding the right wedding dress," Chloe said ruefully.

"Which we should be looking for right now," Emily said, getting to her feet. "Come on, let's go shop."

"I thought you'd never ask," Chloe replied, affectionately hooking her arm through her cousin's as the two of them made their way to the door.

"You know I think Wyatt was right," Emily said conversationally as they headed down the corridor towards the elevator. "Today is the day, I can feel it. The perfect dress is out there waiting for you, I just know it."

**OOOOOO**

"Okay, so think positive," Chloe said to her reflection, hugging herself round the middle and nervously bouncing on the balls of her feet.

She was standing in front of a narrow mirror in a curtained off changing area, dressed in the thin satiny robe the bridal shop provided for its customers. She'd taken a different tack today and had handed over the responsibility for choosing the right dress to her shopping companions. The sea of white, ivory and shell pink outfits had all become a blur to her in recent weeks and she was hoping that seven pairs of fresh eyes would see something that she herself could not.

"Are you all right in there, honey?" her Mom's voice sounded from just beyond the curtain.

"Yeah Mom," Chloe replied, pulling back the drape and emerging from her hiding place.

Her Aunt Bella, the Charmed Sisters and Prue were all seated on various chairs and sofas around the room, while her Mom was standing next to a large clothing rail, which was holding about eight protective-covered gowns. Chloe's heart jumped a little at the sight.

"Where's Emily?" she asked.

"Here," a familiar voice said from the doorway.

Chloe quickly span around and saw her cousin walking into the room with a tall, olive-skinned woman by her side. The unknown female was carrying another clothing bag over her crooked arms, while Emily had a wide grin plastered over her face.

"You can thank me later," she said as she sat down next to Prue.

"I'm Stella," the woman introduced herself as she hung up the mystery dress alongside the others. "This is my shop."

Chloe nodded, a sudden, wild hope bubbling up inside of her. Emily wouldn't be beaming like that for nothing, right?

"I buy and sell dresses by other designers as a rule," Stella went on, "But I also studied fashion design in college, and I find myself getting creative every once in a while."

She stopped and looked over at Chloe. "Your cousin tells me you're having trouble finding the right dress."

"Umm yeah, you could say that," Chloe agreed, her heart about ready to break free of her chest such was the nerve-jangling anticipation.

Stella smiled warmly at her. "Well, I think I might have just the thing," she said, unzipping the dress bag and carefully removing the wedding gown inside. "It's called the 'Lily-Rose' and it'll be perfect for someone with your colouring and body-shape."

Chloe stared at the beautiful dress, her breath hitching in her throat. "I… I can't afford…"

"Don't worry, it may be an original but I'm not exactly what you'd call a well-known designer. I think you'll find it's within your price range."

Chloe bit her lip, unable to tear her eyes away from the stunning creation in front of her. It ticked every one of her boxes and more.

"So," Stella prompted gently. "Are we trying it on?"

Chloe's breath left her lungs with a huge whoosh and she nodded eagerly, her violet-blue eyes shining with barely concealed excitement. Removing the gown from its hanger, Stella ushered the bride-to-be into the changing area, pulled the drape closed and began to help her into the dress while the others waited on tenterhooks outside.

The process only took about five minutes max, but to those waiting it seemed like an eternity.

"I'm going to have a whole head of grey hair after this," Leann remarked with a tense laugh. "I'm so grateful Chloe's an only child - I think I'd have a nervous breakdown if I had to go through this more than once."

Emily smiled, her gaze on the drape blocking her cousin from view. She'd known the moment she'd laid eyes on the dress in the back room of the shop that this was the one, all she was waiting for now was Chloe's seal of approval.

Stella poked her head around the drape, a big smile on her face. "So are you girls ready?" she asked.

"More than," Emily replied with heavy emphasis.

Pulling back the drape with a dramatic flourish, Stella stepped aside as Chloe emerged. There was silence and then Leann brought up her hands to cover her mouth with a soft gasp.

"Oh honey!" she breathed. "You look beautiful."

After silently meeting her Mom's tear-filled gaze, Chloe's eyes sought out Emily's for her opinion.

"I better tell Chris to take some super-glue to the wedding," the redheaded witch remarked cryptically.

Chloe's forehead creased into a little frown. "Why?" she asked

"Because Wyatt's eyes are literally going to fall out of his head," Emily replied, her face splitting into a brilliant smile.

Chloe beamed and then turned to look at herself properly in the mirror. Turning this way and that, she viewed the gown from every conceivable angle, checking for any hidden flaws. There weren't any though – it was simply perfect.

The ivory satin fabric gave the dress a rich, glossy sheen and its classic style was exactly what Chloe had been looking for. The skirt was full but not too puffy and snowball-like, while the strapless, fitted bodice followed the natural contours of her body with effortless grace. A narrow column of tiny buttons flowed down the length of her spine to where a stylishly discreet bow decorated the bustle at the back. The only other adornment was a smattering of pearlescent sequins across the front of the bodice, which added a touch of sparkle to the gown's simple but chicly elegant design.

"So, is that a yes?" Emily asked from behind her.

Chloe pursed her lips in thought and then nodded, a big smile spreading across her face. "Yes," she said. "I think we have a winner."

"I don't think it'll need much alteration," Stella said, "Maybe just a bit off the length and it might be worth taking in the bodice slightly to prevent any embarrassing mishaps, if you know what I mean."

Chloe laughed. "Sounds like something I'd want to avoid," she agreed. "How long will it take?"

"I can have it ready for you by the end of the week. Will that be okay?"

"Umm yeah, I think so," Chloe said, glancing questionably over at Paige. "We'll be able to come back and pick it up then, won't we?"

Paige nodded. "Sure."

"Of course, now you need shoes, a veil and a tiara to go with it," Phoebe said after Chloe had changed back into her everyday clothes.

"And here's me thinking we were done," Emily said with a theatrical groan.

Chloe laughed happily and turned to look at Stella. "Do you sell shoes?" she asked.

Stella nodded. "And every other bridal accessory you can think of."

"Just the shoes will be fine," Chloe said. "I don't want a veil and I think a tiara will look a bit lonely without one."

"Okay, just shoes it is," Stella said and went back out into the shop.

After she'd left, Chloe gave into a whim and did a little celebratory dance, making the rest of them laugh.

"Where's my bag?" the bride asked when their mirth had subsided. "I've gotta call Wyatt."

"It's two in the morning at home," her mother reminded her. "He'll be asleep."

"So? I've found a wedding dress at long last," Chloe retorted as she pulled her cell out of her bag. "Which is just cause to wake him up if ever there was one."

"I'm not sure he'd agree with that,"Leann replied.

"Oh, I don't know, Aunt Leann," Emily cut in. "Given the mad and often hysterical woman he's had to put up with these last few weeks, I think he might be quite relieved."

Chloe stuck her tongue out at her cousin as she pressed the send button and lifted her phone to her ear. "You do know you're only getting away with that because…," she began before Wyatt answering the phone distracted her from what she'd been about to say.

"Oh hi babe!" she said brightly into the mouthpiece. "It's me. Guess what?"

"_I'm not going to have the pleasure of marrying you in that bed sheet."_

"Yeah - got it in one!"

"_Damn and I was really looking forward to it too. So what's this dress like then?"_

"You're not allowed to know that – it's a secret. You'll just have to show up on the day and find out, won't you?"

"_Well actually, I was thinking of giving it a miss if you don't mind."_

"You do know you're not even remotely funny, don't you?" Chloe said sarcastically

"_You just have no sense of humour. Seriously though, I'm glad you found it at long last." _

"Yeah, me too."

"_So, is it okay if I go back to sleep now then?"_

"Just as long as you dream of me when you do."

"_Always."_

"Well if that's the case, I'm just going to have to marry you, aren't I?"

_"I'll be ready and waiting._ _I love you, Mrs soon-to-be Halliwell."_

"Yeah, I love you too."

_"I'm hanging up now then..."_

"Yeah okay. I'll see you soon. Bye!"

_Click..._

Chloe pocketed her cell and smiled broadly as a deep sense of relief washed over her. She was getting married. In seven weeks. To Wyatt Halliwell. Oh boy!

_**To be continued…**_

* * *

**A/N 2**: Sorry for the sappy and rather abrupt end to the chapter, but this part was threatening to go on forever and I had to end it somewhere! 


	30. A Typical Redhead

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **There are some bad words in this part (got to have some conflict!) and a strong suggestion of adult activity as well. I debated whether to tone the last scene down slightly, but felt it would lose some of its dramatic impact if I did, so I've left it as originally written. Please be forewarned therefore.

As ever, thanks for all the reviews.

**

* * *

Chapter 30 **

_**Three weeks later…**_

Emily was bored.

She'd taken the day off work to help Chloe finalise the last of the wedding plans, but it had only taken them until lunchtime to complete the task. Everything was finally organised; the dresses chosen, the wedding cake ordered, the reception booked - all that remained now was to wait out the four weeks until the big day arrived.

Emily had been about to suggest that they go out to lunch to celebrate when Wyatt had shown up unexpectedly, having had his afternoon classes at Magic School cancelled due to a full dress rehearsal for the yearly recital, which was to take place in just under three week's time. Not wanting to play the third wheel, Emily had left the happy couple to it and retreated to her own apartment downstairs, where she'd ironed a full load of washing and cleaned the place from top to bottom until every surface was dust-free and gleaming. All that had taken her around four hours, but now she found herself with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

Having flicked through every channel in search of something decent to watch, she tossed the TV remote aside with a heavy sigh and glanced hopefully up at the clock – maybe the hour hand had been struck by a sudden burst of inspiration and had started to move faster than the slow crawl that it had been turning at all day. No suck luck, it was only half past four, still three hours to go before she was due to meet up with her boyfriend at his apartment.

Her relationship with Chris was going well, if a little slowly for her liking. The leisurely pace had given her space to combat her fear of rejection and relax a little around him, which was definitely a good thing, and it wasn't as if she didn't understand the need to take things one step at a time and not rush into anything too serious, too soon. However, if she was honest with herself, she was rapidly reaching the point where she needed things to move onto the next level.

They weren't two High-School kids embarking on their first romantic relationship after all. They were a pair of young adults who had been friends for over a year, even if they had only been dating a month. It wasn't as if they were still getting to know each other, so Emily couldn't really fathom out why Chris was holding back on her. The romantic frisson was reaching unbearable levels as a result, and she didn't know how much longer she could stand the building tension between them. She'd resolved to talk to him about it over dinner tonight – which, come to think of it, was probably why she was finding it so difficult to concentrate at the moment.

There was nothing actually stopping her from going to Magic School right now of course. Chris might be otherwise engaged with his teaching duties, but that didn't mean she couldn't sit in on the rehearsal and maybe even lend a helping hand if required. He wouldn't have a problem with that, surely? At least she'd be doing something proactive with her time, instead of sitting around at a loose end, twiddling her thumbs.

Her mind made up, Emily rose purposely to her feet and retreated into the bathroom to take a shower, emerging from the steamed-filled room fifteen minutes later. Going through into her bedroom, she picked out a floaty, midnight blue knee length skirt to wear and teamed it with a simple, white vest-top, so that the outfit was both casual and effortlessly feminine at the same time.

Next, she brushed her hair until it was shining before fishing around in her purse for the piece of paper that detailed the spell that opened up the transportable door into Magic School. Chris had written it down for her shortly after she'd returned from LA so that she could visit him whenever she chose, and she'd been taking full advantage of it in recent weeks.

Quickly reciting the incantation, she watched as a heavy wooden door appeared out of nowhere in her bedroom wall. She grasped hold of the handle, tugged it open and then stepped over the threshold into the vast central corridor of Magic School. The door vanished the moment her feet touched the smooth marble floor and she paused for a moment, looking this way and that to locate whereabouts she was.

She'd discovered to her cost that the door never opened up in the same place; it was very contrary in that way. One time, it had deposited her in a disused classroom, somewhere down in the dungeons - or so Emily had thought at the time. The room was an inch thick in dust and the dark corridor outside led to two dead-ends, effectively imprisoning her inside. One of the solid brick walls had turned out to be an illusion, but you had to know and believe in the magical deception before it revealed itself as the way out.

She'd resorted to calling for Chris for help in the end. He, of course, had found the whole episode extremely amusing, but Emily hadn't been quite so entertained, although she could see the funny side of it now. Luckily, today, the door chose not to play any nasty tricks on her and it didn't take her long to work out where she was. Turning to her right, she walked purposely down the deserted hallway towards the huge double-doors at the end, behind which lay the School auditorium.

When she was about three quarters of the way towards her destination, the doors crashed open and a stream of students of all ages emerged, chattering incessantly amongst themselves. Emily stepped back against the wall to let them to pass, knowing that one witch would be no match for a tidal wave of kids heading in the opposite direction.

Bringing up the rear of the seemingly endless parade of pupils were the youngest children, lined up in pairs and accompanied by several members of the teaching staff. One of them broke rank as they passed by and Emily suddenly found herself looking down on the smiling face of Leah Preston, the little girl from LA whom she'd helped Chris recruit to Magic School several months ago.

"You're Mr Halliwell's friend," Leah pointed out the obvious. "You came to my house with him."

"Yeah, yeah I did," Emily said, squatting down so that she was at the young girl's eye level. "How are you doing? Do you like it here?"

Leah beamed, her pigtails jumping up and down with her enthusiastic nod. "It's cool! Way better than my old school. Mr Halliwell is one of my teachers too – he's really funny. An' he showed me how to blow things up only when I want to!"

Emily laughed, wondering exactly when a five-year old would have a need to blow anything up. "So are you taking part in the recital then?"

"I'm a pumpkin," Leah said importantly. "I've got a costume and everything!"

"Leah!"

A middle-aged woman with a round, friendly face hurried over and caught hold of the little girl's hand. "What have I told you about running off like that?"

"But it's Mr Halliwell's friend, Professor Henley," Leah protested with a pout. "She came with him to my house to tell Mommy and Daddy about Magic School."

"Yes well, you know you're supposed to ask permission," the woman said reprovingly. "We don't want you getting lost now, do we?"

"No," Leah agreed solemnly. "I'm sorry."

Professor Henley looked enquiringly over at Emily then, obviously wondering why she was there.

"Emily Hargreaves," the young redheaded witch quickly introduced herself. "I err…"

"Of course, yes, Chris has mentioned you," Professor Henley cut her off with a smile. "He didn't say he was expecting you now though."

"No well, this is sort of a spur of the moment visit," Emily admitted. "It's okay, isn't it?"

Professor Henley nodded. "I don't see why not. He and Heather are just going over the final arrangements for the recital. I don't think they'll mind if you sit in on the discussion."

Although she didn't say it, Emily thought that Heather probably would mind, but that was just too bad. Chris was her boyfriend, Little Miss Flirtatious would simply have to put up and shut up.

"Is Mr Halliwell your boyfriend?" Leah asked curiously, almost as if she had heard the thoughts inside of Emily's head.

"Leah!" Professor Henley sharply admonished. "That's non of your business. Now say goodbye to Miss Hargreaves or you're going to miss your door home."

"Bye Miss Hargreaves," Leah intoned obediently.

Emily smiled. "Bye Leah. I'll see you again soon."

"At the recital?" the little girl enquired excitedly.

Emily nodded. "Sure – I'll see if I can get Chr… Mr Halliwell to get me a ticket."

"Cool!" Leah returned, and then gave Emily a jaunty little wave as Professor Henley set off down the corridor at a military march with the small girl trotting along beside her like a prancing pony.

Emily waved back and then turned and entered the auditorium. The door that she passed through brought her out on the top row of seating, so that she was looking down on the brightly lit stage below like an eagle staking out its prey.

Chris was sitting on a table in the centre of the dais, talking and gesturing animatedly with his hands. Heather meanwhile, stood nearby, occasionally responding to his suggestions but most of the time simply nodding her head in agreement. Emily could hear their voices, but she couldn't make out what they were saying at this distance. Neither seemed to have noticed her presence, which was hardly surprising given that she was currently swathed in darkness.

She started to move towards the narrow avenue of steps that led down to the stage, instinctively opening her mouth to call out in greeting. The words died on her lips however, when, before her shocked eyes, Heather suddenly closed the gap between her and Chris and brazenly planted a full-on kiss on his lips. Emily's vision blurred until the two of them were just a hazy mirage, and then she turned and fled as fast as her feet could carry her.

Her breath heaving painfully in her chest, she ran down the now deserted corridor, slipping and sliding on the floor, before she careened into an empty classroom on the left. Scrabbling around in her bag, she pulled out the transporter spell and magicked herself back home in a trice. Standing in her bedroom with tears running, unchecked, down her cheeks, she was about to sink to the floor in broken-hearted anguish when something inside her snapped and brought her up sharp.

_NO!_

The word sounded loudly in her head. She wasn't going to play the victim anymore. She would not let Chris do this to her again. It was time to take charge of her life and cast him aside, once and for all. Grabbing a travel suitcase from the back of her closet, she whirled about the room in a frenzy of activity throwing in clothes and toiletries before slamming down the lid and zipping it up. She then dragged the wheeled case into the living room, while the building anger inside of her slowly reached boiling point.

He had lied to her, said he didn't want anyone but her. And yet, there he was kissing some other woman where anyone could have seen him, a woman he said he wasn't interested in no less. Who the hell did he think he was? Moreover, what was she? Just some plaything for his amusement? Well, she'd show him. She wasn't about to give him the opportunity to wheedle his way out of this one, that was for sure. Nor was she going to waste another minute drooling over him like some lovesick teenager for that matter.

With that resolve in mind, she abandoned her suitcase by the door and crossed to the bookshelf, running her fingers along the spines until she found the volume she wanted. Tucking it under her arm, she retrieved her bag and exited her apartment, slamming the door shut behind her and striding off down the corridor with cold fury driving her onwards.

That was it. It was over. She was done…

**OOOOOO**

_**Several hours later…**_

Chloe yelped in surprise, as Chris appeared, unannounced, in the centre of the lounge. She'd just been dozing off, her head resting comfortably against Wyatt's chest as they sat cuddled together on the sofa, watching a drama programme on TV.

"I wish you two would learn to give some warning before you do that," she grumbled as she sat up.

Wyatt however, had noticed the tense look on his brother's face. "What's up?"

"Have either of you seen Emily?" Chris asked, looking between them.

"Not since this lunchtime. Why?"

"Well, she was supposed to be coming over tonight, but she didn't show up. She's not at her apartment and I can't sense her either."

Chloe immediately looked at Wyatt, who closed his eyes and tried to locate her cousin himself. After a while, he opened them again and shook his head. "Nothing," he reported.

Chloe felt the panic curl in her belly, but she forced herself to remain calm. "Have you tried her cell?" she asked Chris, who shook his head in the negative.

Retrieving her phone from the coffee table in front of the sofa, Chloe punched in Emily's number and waited. After a few rings, her cousin answered the call much to her relief.

"What do you want Chloe?" Emily demanded petulantly.

"Where are you? Chris…"

"Don't talk to me about Chris!" Emily cut in furiously. "I've had enough of him and his phoney promises to last me a life time!"

"All right, so what's going on?" Chloe asked wearily.

"Ask him, I'm sure he'll be glad to tell you. I bet he's having a good old laugh at my expense right about now."

"Don't be stupid, Emily. He's worried about you."

"Yeah right. As if. He's too busy having his cake and eating it to be bothered about my feelings. You told me I could trust him, Chloe," she accused. "And I like an idiot listened to you!"

Chloe sighed. "Emily, just tell me what the problem is okay?"

"I told you, ask him."

"Ask him what?" Chloe demanded in exasperation, there was no talking to her cousin when she got like this. Stubborn wasn't the word for it.

"Whether he had fun at the rehearsal," Emily snapped back and then promptly hung up.

Chloe closed her eyes and sighed. "All right, so what did you do?" she asked Chris.

The witch-whitelighter looked at her blankly. "I don't…" he began with a puzzled frown.

"She said to ask you whether you had fun at the rehearsal," Chloe interjected.

Chris jumped a little and then paled, his eyes going wide. "Oh…" he said, sitting down heavily in the chair opposite as realisation dawned. "Shit!" he swore a second later.

"What is it?" Wyatt asked his brother.

"She wasn't supposed to be coming over until later," Chris murmured to himself and then reluctantly met his older sibling's questioning gaze.

"Umm - she could have seen something she might have misinterpreted," he said, cringing slightly.

"Like what?"

"Like err… Heather umm… kissing me."

"What?" Chloe virtually screeched, her eyes going wide with horrified disbelief.

"You pushed her away, right?" Wyatt pressed.

"Yes, of course I did," Chris hurriedly assured them, quailing slightly under Chloe's accusatory stare. "Only… well, I guess not straightaway," he admitted.

"Please tell me there's an innocent explanation for that," Wyatt said in a faintly beseeching tone.

"She took me completely by surprise, all right? I mean, one minute we were talking about the recital and the next, she jumped me. I guess I kind of froze; I totally wasn't expecting it."

"I'm not a cheat, okay?" he swore to Chloe, his eyes pleading with her to trust him.

Chloe's expression softened when she saw the honesty in his gaze and, for Emily's sake, also read it in his aura. "I believe you," she said. "Unfortunately, it's not me you have to convince."

"She's mad, huh?"

"Oh yeah," Chloe agreed. "And when she gets like this… well, you know what they say about redheads and their tempers? Emily personifies it all – ten times over."

Chris dropped his head into his hands with a low groan. "Why does it always happen to me?" he lamented.

"That still doesn't explain why we can't sense her though," Wyatt said.

"Well, I'm guessing she used the sensing blocking spell against you both," Chloe said, without thinking.

Chris quickly lifted his head out of his hands as his brother stared at his fiancée in shocked incredulity.

"I'm sorry - the 'What?' blocking spell?" Wyatt demanded.

"You know," Chloe said with an absent wave of her hand. "Every witch knows about it…"

She stopped. "Except those who are also whitelighters of course," she reminded herself.

"You're telling me there's a spell to block whitelighters from sensing their charges?" Wyatt went on in abject amazement.

"Well, not exactly. There's a spell that a witch can cast to prevent specific whitelighters from sensing them. There has to be some sort of personal connection for it to work though."

Wyatt regarded her steadily. "Right," he said with deceptive calm. "And have you ever used this spell against me?"

Chloe started guiltily. "Once," she admitted. "When we had that really big row just after Christmas… but it was only for about an hour. By then, I'd calmed down enough to realise that it would totally freak you out if you sensed for me and I wasn't there, so I reversed it."

"It's a pity your cousin's not so considerate," Chris remarked with a hint of accusation in his tone.

"It's not that, Chris," Chloe said with a shake of her head. "Emily is… well, she's not as even tempered as me. When she loses it, she loses it big time. I doubt she's thinking rationally right now. She knows you can find her that way and she doesn't want you to."

"Why?" Chris said. "I mean, I would have thought if she thinks what she thinks, she'd want to…"

"Give you a piece of her mind?" Chloe interrupted. "Under normal circumstances, yeah, that's probably what she would do, but these aren't normal circumstances, are they? She's putting some distance between the two of you until she's strong enough not to let you hurt her again."

"So what do I do?"

Chloe sighed. "Well, I'd give her some time to calm down first," she advised. "But, after that, don't give up trying to get through to her, no matter how much she pushes you away. Emily can be the Queen of Stubbornness when she puts her mind to it, so you had better prepare yourself for a fight. Breaking down those defences isn't going to be easy."

Sitting back in the armchair, Chris tipped his head back against the cushion and closed his eyes with a weary sigh, the reality of the situation finally crashing in on him. After four weeks of appeasing Emily's inner fears about their relationship, he was back at square one – or rather on the 'do not pass go and go straight to jail' spot if Chloe's warnings were anything to go by.

"You will _never_ use that spell on me again, okay?" Wyatt instructed his fiancée after his brother had returned to his apartment to contemplate his predicament.

"Wyatt…"

"I mean it, Chloe. This is non-negotiable. And the same goes for Emily when this little fiasco is over with."

"That's something you'll have to resolve with her," Chloe said. "But I'd already decided not to use it again, so there's no need to worry about that. I know that being with you makes me a target for attack and I have no desire to make myself more vulnerable. Or to cause you any needless worry for that matter. It was a stupid thing I did one time – I won't make the same mistake again."

Wyatt nodded, satisfied with her answer. "Good," he said, "Because I couldn't handle it if anything happened to you."

Chloe looped her arms about his neck. "Nothing is going to happen to me," she assured him.

"That can never be guaranteed," Wyatt told her seriously, "But I'm going to do my damnedest to make sure you're as safe as possible, which means always being able to locate where you are. I know that probably makes me a bit overbearing at times but…"

"Stop okay?" Chloe said softly, placing her fingers over his lips. "We discussed this a long time ago. I agreed that I wouldn't recklessly put myself in the path of danger as long as you treated me with respect at home. Nothing's changed."

Wyatt dropped a tender kiss on her upturned lips. "So you think you can persuade your cousin to be more sensible in the future?" he asked.

"Err...," Chloe vacillated, "Probably not. I mean, I think she'll agree not to use the sensing blocking spell, but if Chris is expecting her to take more of a backseat now that they're a couple, then he's got another thing coming."

"She will forgive him though?"

"Eventually, I think," Chloe replied. "He's in for a rough ride however. Emily in a temper is something to behold."

"Well, he always did like living dangerously," Wyatt quipped dryly.

O**OOOOO**

Four days later and Chris was discovering exactly what Chloe had meant when she said that Emily was the Queen of Stubbornness. Never mind Queen, she was the Empress of it.

She was yet to lift the blocking spell, despite Chloe's valiant attempts to convince her otherwise, and had not returned to her apartment either. He could only assume that she was staying in a hotel somewhere – where he didn't know because she had refused to disclose her location to Chloe, somehow knowing that her cousin would probably go against her wishes and reveal it for her own good.

At least she had agreed to check in with either Wyatt or Chloe by phone every day so that they knew that she was safe, but that was small comfort as far as Chris was concerned. She refused to answer his calls and immediately hung up on her cousin if she attempted to persuade her to talk to him. He had tried to track her down at work, only to be told she'd taken some time off.

It was like banging his head against a brick wall and his patience was starting to wear thin. He understood that she was upset, but how were they supposed to resolve this if she wouldn't even see him? It was exasperating to the extreme. Sometimes he wanted yell out to the heavens with the sheer frustration of it.

At last, there was some light at the end of the tunnel however. With some clever sweet talk, he had managed to get Lauren, the receptionist at the firm where Emily worked, to reveal that she'd be back in the office today. He was determined to get her in the same room as him, even if it killed him. He had picked her up from work before, so knew where her desk and office were located.

Standing outside on the sidewalk, he closed his eyes and sensed for the presence of other people in the room. Emily's office seemed empty, which meant one of two things: either it was exactly that, or his elusive girlfriend was in there alone. With a great deal of self-restraint, he waited until after lunch before attempting to corner her, hoping to lull her into a false sense of security that, with a bit of luck, would work to his advantage. The element of surprise would give her little time to think up a counter-strategy, but he wasn't stupid enough to believe that she'd be unprepared.

Well, it was now or never. He ducked out of sight into an alleyway across the street and orbed himself into the building…

Emily's reaction was about what he expected, although he was still shocked to see how tired and pale she looked. She leapt to her feet immediately, knocking over her cup of coffee in the process.

"Get out!" she hissed, her eyes blazing with anger.

Chris shook his head stubbornly. "No, not until we talk."

"I don't want to talk to you!" Emily stormed. "Or haven't you got that message yet? I never want to see you again if I can help it!"

"Well, that's going to be kind of difficult when your cousin's marrying my brother," Chris retorted.

"I can still avoid seeing your face as much as humanely possible though!" Emily shot back.

"And what kind of awkward position is that going to put Wyatt and Chloe in?" Chris returned belligerently.

Gripping the edge of her desk so tightly that her knuckles turned white, Emily stared at him in open incredulity.

"Don't you go putting that on me," she snapped angrily. "This is your doing not mine! I don't know how you can stand there as if butter wouldn't melt in your mouth. Is this some kind of game to you? Am I just some toy to play with until you get bored? Or receive a better offer?"

"Emily. No! Look - I'm sorry; it's just been so frustrating not being able to talk to you… what are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Emily said, putting the phone she'd just picked up to her ear. "I'm calling for Security."

"What? Are you out of your mind? Nobody saw me arrive. How are you going to explain how I got in?"

"Well, you should have thought of that before you barged in here uninvited, shouldn't you?"

"Emily, this is madness."

"No, what's madness is me ever trusting you! I'm not going to make that mistake again, you can count on that!"

"Emily! Will you just listen to me? Look - about Heather…"

Emily hit the push button on the phone with her right index finger. "Yes? Security?" she said into the mouthpiece, glaring at him with ice-cold fury in her blue eyes.

Chris swore violently and orbed out, his upbringing forcing him to avoid exposing magic despite the extenuating circumstances.

"Arghh!" He yelled in frustration, sending a dumpster flying across the alley into the opposite wall with his telekinesis.

Okay, so he was angry now. Why did she have to be so infuriatingly obstinate? He deserved the chance to explain, even if she didn't believe him afterwards. Pacing up and down, his own innate stubbornness started to kick in. There had to be a way to get her to listen to him, there had to be.

He needed to think, so he orbed up to the Bridge. Gazing out over the city below, he racked his brain for an answer and eventually it came to him. The plan was astonishingly simple, but he knew that Emily was not going to like it in the slightest. Still, needs must, he was just going to have to bite the bullet and go for it…

O**OOOOO**

Lauren poked her head round the door as Emily was packing up her things getting ready to leave for the night.

"Hey!" she said softly. "Are you okay? You've been really distracted all day."

"I'm fine," Emily reassured her. "I've just got some personal stuff going on, that's all."

"You want to talk about it?"

Emily shook her head. "No, not really, but thanks anyway."

"No problem," Lauren said. "Call me if you change your mind, all right?"

Emily nodded, her lips curling up into a small, reluctant smile. "I will," she said as she shut down her computer and picked up her purse.

"I'll see you Monday," she said as she left her friend at the reception desk.

Lauren waved in farewell as Emily stepped into an empty elevator and pushed the button for the ground floor. As the metal doors swished closed, she felt her stomach roil with sudden apprehension. Chris's unexpected visit had put her on edge for the rest of the afternoon, but at least at work she was safe from another unpleasant confrontation with him. She didn't think she'd be so lucky out of office hours.

She'd known she'd have to face him sooner or later, but it had still come as a shock even so. The deep sense of betrayal had almost been too much for her to bear; stone-cold fury had been her only form of defence against the devastating pain of it. His faintly antagonistic attitude towards her only made matters worse. He had been kissing someone else - how dare he act as if she were the one in the wrong?

Blinking back the angry tears pricking at the back of her eyelids, Emily exited the building and stepped out onto the sunlit sidewalk, still lost in melancholic thought.

The trouble was she felt so horribly alone in all of this. She didn't have her cousin to talk to, not this time, and she wasn't really close enough to any of her other friends to confide in them. She supposed she should have known that Chloe would try to play the mediator, but she had still expected more loyalty from her. Where was the righteous anger on her behalf? Did it not matter or was keeping Wyatt happy more important to her now?

"You didn't expect me to give up that easily, did you?" A familiar voice cut into her musings.

Emily kept walking, refusing to look around and give him the satisfaction of a reaction. "Go away."

"Sorry, no can do. We need to talk."

"We don't need to do anything!" Emily said, whirling round to face him despite her earlier resolve. "Just leave me alone or next time I'll call the cops."

"Right. That's it," Chris said, grabbing her around the wrist and hauling her out of public view.

Before she could voice any kind of protest, he had orbed them away from the busy street. Not taking any notice of where they ended up, Emily immediately wrenched her hand out of his grasp and turned to stalk way from him, only to find that there was nowhere to escape to - not unless she fancied plunging to her death from a great height that was. The arrogant son of a bitch had orbed her up to the top of the Golden Gate Bridge!

"What the hell…?" she demanded as a wave of vertigo hit her.

"You left me no choice," Chris told her in apparent justification for his despicable actions.

"Don't give me that, it was your choices that caused this in the first place. You have no right."

"Look – she kissed me, okay? Not the other way round."

Emily scoffed, incensed that he'd cornered her like this. Who did he think he was? If she wanted to ignore him and his lame excuses then she would.

"And you really expect me to believe that, do you?" she near enough shouted at him. It wasn't like anyone could hear her up here, was it?

"Yes, I expect you to believe that!" Chris yelled back, his temper finally reaching breaking point. She would listen to him, even if he had to damn well make her.

"Well excuse me if I'm not exactly convinced…," Emily returned, and then abruptly broke off her tirade when she felt her back collide with the orange-metal girder behind her.

Chris had closed the gap between them in a blink of an eye, caging her against the bridge support with his taller and heavier weight. His grip on her upper arms, while light enough not to be bruising, was still firm enough to let her know that there'd be no means of escape until he'd had his say.

"You really think I was kissing her, do you?" he demanded, his green eyes glittering with an indefinable emotion that she'd never seen in them before. "If you do, then I think you need reminding exactly what it's like when I decide I want to kiss someone…"

With that, he crushed his lips against hers. Emily's first instinct was to shove him away. Instead, she curled her fingers into the material of his shirt and pulled him closer, kissing him back with a kind of fervent need, her anger fuelling her ardour as he possessively claimed her mouth with his.

Chris felt a sense of grim satisfaction run through him when he felt her surrender. His point made, he knew he should stop, slow things down a little. However, it was as if a dam had broken inside of him and he was swept downwards with the torrent of passion that had been unleashed in its wake.

Stars appeared behind Emily's closed eyelids and her head swam as the sound of her heartbeat thundered loudly in her ears. Just when she thought her knees might give way under her, Chris wrenched his mouth from hers, leaving her gasping for air and clutching at his back for leg support.

She tried to organise her jumbled thoughts into some kind of coherent order, an endeavour that was severely hampered by Chris, who had dipped his head to place a stream of nipping little kisses up the column of her throat. It was as if someone had inserted a digital scrambler inside her brain. She was only capable of feeling; rational thought was completely out of the question right now.

"So," she heard Chris murmur low in her ear. "Your place or mine?"

Emily only hesitated for second before replying to the clichéd question. "Yours," she said breathlessly, and then the feeling of being orbed overwhelmed her once again…

_**Till next time... when guess who's back? ;-)**_


	31. Caught in the Act

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Relatively quick update because I've had the last scene of the previous chapter and the majority of this one written since Christmas! I knew this would be a pivotal point in the story and I was struck with a sudden burst of inspiration over the holidays on how to write it. I figured it was wise to get down on paper before the muse left me, so it's been sitting waiting on my computer ever since.

The content of this chapter is probably about as mature as this story is going to get by the way. There's nothing too graphic, but you'll be under no illusion about what's going on. There's some pretty strong innuendo and the odd bad word, so please be warned.

Anyway, on with the show…

**

* * *

Chapter 31 **

_**Chris's apartment, hours later…**_

Chris woke with a slight start, unsure at first as to what had awakened him. Moonlight streamed in through a gap in the drapes, illuminating the room with a bluish-white glow. He was still getting used to the incongruity of that – as far as he knew Magic School didn't have an outside and yet the windows seemed to let in the light and the dark, as would any other normal building.

Turning over, his eyes fell on Emily sleeping peacefully next to him, her cheek resting lightly on her upturned hand and her other arm slung across her stomach. The moonlight had leached the vivid colour from her hair such that it looked almost black against the white pillow, while a single sheet preserved her modesty from view.

Chris shivered slightly – it was getting chilly and he realised that that was what had woken him. Sitting up, he reached down to pull the comforter up over the two of them, but stopped when he caught sight of his apartment through the open bedroom door. The haphazard trail of discarded clothing was testimony to the explosion of passion that had occurred there a few hours earlier.

Smiling to himself, he lay back down and tucked the bedclothes over his sleeping girlfriend. It wasn't how he expected this to happen, but now that it had, he had no regrets. The scene on the Bridge had been slightly out of character for him. It wasn't in his nature to be so aggressive, but Emily's stubborn refusal to even speak to him had blown a fuse inside and he'd lost control, reacting purely on instinct and, for once, not worrying about the consequences of his actions.

They'd been building up to this for months, he realised. All the waiting, wondering and half-promises had ratcheted up the sexual tension between them to boiling point. They'd been teetering on a precipice and this had finally pushed them over the edge. It was kind of a relief really. They'd gotten so hung up on the necessity to take things slowly that they'd stopped themselves from moving forward at all. It had taken a situation like this to break them out of that vicious circle at long last.

Propping up his head on his hand, Chris reached out and gently tucked Emily's hair behind her ear, his fingers lightly caressing the side of her face. It was funny – it was her congenial girl-next-door appeal that he'd been drawn to in the first place, but he was glad to discover that she had some real fire in her belly as well.

Wyatt might be one for the quiet life – and Chloe was perfect for him in that sense – but Chris liked a challenge. It was that which had initially attracted him to Bianca – his former love had been the ultimate high maintenance girl – and it would be Emily's stubborn wilfulness that kept him interested now. He wasn't entirely sure where this relationship was going, but it felt right, so he figured he should just go with the flow and see where it led him…

**OOOOOO**

_**The next morning…**_

Emily opened her eyes and looked around at the unfamiliar furniture, for a moment not registering where she was. And then it all came flooding back to her - Chris tracking her down at work despite her best attempts to avoid him, cornering her up on the Bridge, and then… Oh Boy!

Clutching the rumpled sheet to her breasts, she cautiously sat up. She was alone – alone in Chris's bedroom, in Chris's bed… Oh God! There wasn't going to be one of those awful morning after scenes was there? What if Chris regretted it? What if she did? Did she? No, she didn't think so. It wasn't how she imagined this happening – she'd kind of thought they'd talk about it first – but she couldn't regret it. It was what she'd been wishing for, for nearly a year now after all.

Where was he?

Emily held her breath and listened hard. She couldn't hear any sounds of movement. Maybe this was a subtle hint. Maybe she was supposed to get dressed and leave, so they could avoid the awkward 'I'm sorry but this was a mistake' conversation. She hesitated. What should she do? Should she…?

She let out a startled yelp of surprise as a column of twinkling blue orb lights appeared at the end of the bed.

"Hey! You're awake," Chris greeted her with a warm smile.

Emily relaxed a little. "Umm yeah," she said, blushing slightly.

She tucked the sheet more firmly around her, feeling rather exposed with Chris standing there fully dressed in front of her. He shot her an amused look and she flushed even redder, her cheeks burning hot as she remembered that she hadn't been quite so bashful the previous evening.

"Breakfast," Chris explained, placing the box from Frankie's coffee shop down on the bedside cabinet. "I didn't have anything in."

He toed off his sneakers so he was barefoot again and sat down on the edge of the mattress by her hip. "We should probably talk about what happened," he said.

"Did something happen?" Emily asked, all faux innocence.

Chris laughed. "Well, I do seem to remember something, yeah," he said teasingly, "But that's not really what I meant..."

"You don't regret it?" Emily asked, needing to know.

Chris shook his head. "Of course not, I think… no, I _know_ I'm in love with you."

"Yeah?" Emily asked shyly, her heart in her mouth.

"Yeah," Chris confirmed, reaching out and lacing his fingers through hers, "Which is why I would never think of kissing anyone else, okay?"

Emily looked away, recalling the incident that had triggered all this in the first place. "That's not what it looked like to me," she said softly.

"I don't think you stuck around long enough to know what it looked like," Chris replied. "When Heather… well, I wasn't expecting it and I guess I kind of froze to start with. But it was only for a brief moment and then I pushed her away and made sure she knew I wasn't interested. If you hadn't run off, then you would have known that."

Emily's eyes filled with tears. "What did you expect? You have no idea what it felt like to see that."

"I know it must have hurt, but I guess I expected you to give me the benefit of the doubt. Instead, you automatically assumed I must be guilty."

"I was scared!" Emily said tearfully. "Can't you understand that?"

"Scared of what?"

"Of you saying you didn't want me, that you'd changed your mind, that this was all a big mistake."

"Emily…"

"I'm sorry, I am. I know I should have trusted you, but you've broken my heart once before. Not purposely, I know, but it was still one of the most painful things that I've ever experienced. I can't just switch off the fear of it happening again. I want to, but it doesn't work like that."

Chris sighed. "I understand the pain that I inadvertently put you through, but you have to at least try to trust me or this is never gonna work out. It's not that you got upset about what you saw anyway – that's perfectly natural. It's more that you completely shut me out and refused to give me the chance to explain. I had to practically kidnap you to get you to talk to me, Emily, and that's not a good thing."

Emily looked down at the comforter, avoiding his gaze. "I know."

"I swear I would never do anything to deliberately hurt you, okay? I need you to believe that. I don't expect you to be unaffected by what happened before, but I do expect you to make the effort to talk things through with me. Promise me you'll do that from now on."

Emily lifted her tear-filled gaze to his. "I promise," she whispered.

"Good," Chris said, gently palming the side of her face in his hand and lightly stroking his thumb over her cheekbone. "And you believe that there's nothing going on between me and Heather, right?"

Emily nodded. "Yes, I believe you," she told him honestly.

"At least there's one good thing that came out of this debacle," Chris continued, his tone of voice considerably lighter now.

"There is?"

"Uh-huh," Chris nodded with mock solemnity. "Taking things slow was getting to be a bit of a drag, don't you think?"

He flashed her a decidedly cheeky grin and Emily smiled back. "So what do you suggest?" she asked.

Chris trailed the backs of his fingers down the column of her throat and then bent to kiss her collarbone, his lips warm against her exposed skin. "That we err…," he paused to plant another kiss behind her ear before continuing, "Forget about taking the sensible route and go with whatever feels natural."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Emily murmured silkily as he brushed his lips over hers in the softest and most sensual of kisses.

Taking this as an open invitation to continue, Chris tugged his t-shirt off over his head and pushed her back against the pillows so that they could lose themselves in each other's arms once again…

Afterwards, they lay together talking idly of small, unimportant things and eating the breakfast muffins that Chris had bought from Frankie's coffee shop earlier. Emily was rather amazed that her boyfriend allowed this most coupley of pastimes – she'd have thought he'd have been the type who hated getting crumbs in the bed.

When she questioned him about it however, Chris just laughed. "I know I've inherited certain err… organisational skills from my Mom, but I'm not a carbon copy of her, you know," he said. "I think I have a lot of my Dad in me too – and he's much more chilled."

Emily nodded and was about to respond when the musical sound of someone orbing filled her ears. As the blue orb lights started to coalesce into human form at the end of the bed, she dived under the covers with a sharp gasp of horror, suddenly very conscious of her state of undress.

"Okaay… so not a good time to orb into my brother's bedroom unannounced then?" Wyatt remarked with severe understatement, laughter shining bright in his blue eyes.

"Really not," Chris agreed.

There was a short silence.

"Wyatt?"

"Mmm?"

"Get out!"

"Oh. Right. Yeah. I'll just be err…," he gestured at the door. "I do need to talk to you," he said over his shoulder to his brother as he escaped through into the living area.

"Oh. My. God!" Emily said, her voice muffled by the bedclothes.

Chris chuckled, lifted the covers and looked down into her beet-red face. "Relax – I don't think he saw anything."

"That's not the point. I mean, what if he'd orbed in half an hour ago?"

"Then he would have gotten quite a show."

"CHRIS!"

Chris laughed again. "Don't worry - I'll remind him of the privacy rules," he assured her as he let the cover drop and clambered out of bed.

Tugging on his jeans, he scooped up his discarded t-shirt from the floor and then went through into the other room to talk to his brother.

"Sorry," Wyatt said contritely. "I only sensed for you – I didn't think to check whether you were alone or not."

"Obviously," Chris replied as he pulled his t-shirt on over his head.

"You and Emily made up then?" Wyatt asked with a wide grin.

"Obviously," Chris repeated without a trace of embarrassment before he changed the subject. "What do you want?"

Wyatt's expression immediately sobered. "I've been hearing rumours," he said, "That someone or something is planning to ruin my wedding. They were pretty much confirmed about half an hour ago."

"Oh?" Chris enquired, sitting down in an armchair directly opposite where his brother was seated.

"Bianca's Dad called – said he had some information about a possible sabotage attempt. He's sending Bianca over to fill us in on the details. I told him to tell her to meet us here…," Wyatt broke off and glanced towards the bedroom door, "Which wasn't exactly the best idea, was it?"

"You're just the king of creating awkward situations today, aren't you bro?" Chris said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry – I didn't want to worry Chloe unnecessarily or I would have told Bianca to meet us at our place. Maybe you should…" Wyatt broke off at the sharp rapping sound of someone knocking on the door.

"Well, too late for any containment measures now," Chris said wryly, getting to his feet and going to answer the door.

"Hey!" Bianca said softly when she saw him standing in the doorway.

"Hey!" Chris replied.

"Long time no see, huh?" she quipped with a slightly forced smile.

"Yeah," Chris nodded and then stepped aside. "Come in."

Bianca stepped over the threshold and they looked at each other awkwardly, neither knowing quite what to say.

"So, are you doing okay?" Chris eventually asked.

Bianca nodded, "Yeah, yeah, I'm good. You?"

"Yeah, I'm…," Chris cast a quick, sidelong glance at the bedroom door, "Good too."

"So," Bianca said, her eyes turning away from her ex and seeking out his brother. "Daddy sent me to talk to Wyatt."

Wyatt greeted her with a little wave of his hand and a curt nod.

"This must be the last thing you need right now," Bianca remarked as she sat down in the chair beside him.

"You could say that," Wyatt rejoined with a grimace. "I suppose I should have expected it though – it's too good an opportunity for demons to miss, isn't it?"

As Bianca began to relate to Wyatt what her family had overheard on the demon grapevine, Chris hovered awkwardly in the background, repeatedly shooting wary glances at the bedroom door and trying to decide the best way to handle the impending confrontation between his past and present loves.

He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He didn't want to upset Bianca more than was necessary, but he wasn't about to treat Emily as if she was a dirty secret that he had to conceal either. In the end, his new relationship would have to come first, but he wanted to be as sympathetic to Bianca's feelings as possible. Unfortunately, he couldn't quite see how to do that – Emily could emerge from the bedroom at any moment and then all hell would probably break loose.

"What's up with you?"

Chris jumped as Bianca directed this question his way. "Nothing," he quickly replied.

His former girlfriend scoffed. "Come on Chris – I know you better than that."

Chris sighed, knowing there was no way to avoid the situation. "I, umm… I'm dating again," he confessed.

To his surprise, Bianca hardly even reacted to this admission. "I wasn't expecting you to turn into a monk when we split up, you know," she told him calmly. "We've been apart for nearly four months now."

"Yes, I know but…" Chris began, only to break off when the expression on Bianca's face suddenly hardened as the truth of the situation finally registered with her.

"Emily." The name was uttered in a tone that sounded like a trap shutting. "She's here, isn't she? That's why you're so jumpy. What's she doing? Hiding in the bedroom like a common prostitute?"

"BIANCA!"

His former girlfriend ignored his shocked protest. "You lied to me, Chris. You told me nothing was going on between you and her."

"I didn't lie to you, Bianca. Nothing happened while we were still together."

"But you wanted it to! And I damn well know she did!"

"I…," Chris stopped, trying to formulate his thoughts. He wasn't entirely blameless here after all.

"There was an attraction there, I won't deny that," he eventually said, "But I never did anything about it – and I never would have done. Back then, you, and what we had together were more important to me. I could have given up on us and stopped Emily from going to LA, but I didn't. I chose to try to work things out with you."

"And you honestly expect me to believe that?"

"Yes, I do. Emily is not the reason we broke up, Bianca," Chris said with a sigh. "And you know it."

"She's hardly blame free though, is she?" Bianca retorted. "I can't believe you've let her manipulate you like this, Chris. How can you even think about dating her? She would have done anything to split us up…"

"That isn't true."

Chris felt his stomach drop like a stone as Emily's voice cut into the conversation. He turned round to see her standing in the bedroom doorway, dressed in one of his shirts with her arms wrapped protectively around her middle. Despite her defensive posture, she was looking Bianca directly in the eye, not flinching away from the other woman's furious gaze.

Bianca scoffed at her strident words however, and Emily's eyes flashed with sudden anger. She'd put herself through hell in an effort not to come between Chris and Bianca. She wasn't about to be made a scapegoat for the breakdown of their relationship now, no matter how much she understood Bianca's point of view. The decision she'd come to when she'd caught Heather kissing her boyfriend still stood, she would not play the victim in this situation anymore.

"I fell in love," she admitted frankly, "With someone I shouldn't have done, I know, but it wasn't like I chose to feel that way. It just happened. And whatever you might think, Bianca, I _never_ tried to break you and Chris up. That's not who I am – not then or now."

"Yeah right!" Bianca cut in. "That's why you were on the first plane back here the moment you found out we'd split up."

"I came back to San Francisco for lots of reasons – Chris among them, yes, I'll admit that, but it was nowhere near as calculated as you make it sound. I took my chance – you would have done the same in my shoes."

"Not with someone else's boyfriend I wouldn't!"

"And neither would I! Why do you think I moved to LA? For fun? Those first few weeks were absolutely hell! Going through all that heartache without my friends and family around was the worst experience of my life! Whatever you believe, I _know_ I did the right thing and I won't be your excuse anymore. I didn't make myself the third party in Chris and your relationship, Bianca. You did – both of you!"

"Things were fine between us before you showed up!"

"If that were true, then I was never a threat, was I?" Emily retorted belligerently.

"I don't know how you have the nerve to stand there and act all high and mighty over this," Bianca stormed. "He was my boyfriend in case you've forgotten!"

"And if I'd made a move on him while you two were still together, then I'd be properly ashamed of myself!" Emily shot back. "I am not going to apologise for being with him now though. Whatever issues you and Chris have – or had – are between you and him, they're nothing to do with me. Why should I deny myself the chance of happiness just because you choose to blame _me_ for the end of _your _relationship?"

With that, she turned on her heel and stalked into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her with a significant amount of force.

"Quite the little firebrand when she gets going, isn't she?" Wyatt murmured quietly in Chris's ear, earning himself a glare from his brother for his trouble.

"Are you just going to stand there and let her get away with that?" Bianca demanded, rounding furiously on her ex-boyfriend.

"Get away with what, Bianca?" Chris replied. "She's right. The only people to blame for the end of our relationship are us. It's time you accepted that. You and I were the ones who screwed it up, no-one else."

"That still doesn't excuse her going out with you now though, does it?"

"Why shouldn't she? I was free and single when I asked her. And, let's face it, it's not like you were all that bothered about me dating again until you heard it was Emily. People break up and move on every day. If you hadn't known how she felt about me while we were together, this wouldn't even be an issue."

"I did know though, didn't I? And so did you!"

"I know you can't choose who you fall in love with," Chris said. "I know it's not right to condemn her for simply feeling the way she did. If she'd attempted to do something about it when you and I were still an item, then it'd be different, but all she ever tried to be back then was my friend."

"Well, I can see she's got you wrapped around her little finger," Bianca said cuttingly.

Chris sighed. "If anyone's in the wrong here, it's me," he pointed out. "I'm the one who chose to pursue a relationship with someone you saw as the reason for our split. Emily only returned to San Francisco because I persuaded her to. So if you're so determined to lay blame, Bianca, then maybe you should put it in its rightful place."

"Well, aren't we just Mr Noble?" Bianca commented in an acid tone.

Chris threw his hands up in exasperation. "I give up," he said. "There's no point to this if that's your attitude. You came here to talk to Wyatt – talk to him."

With that, he turned on his heel and followed Emily into the bathroom. Bianca stared, open-mouthed, at the closed door and then glanced over at Wyatt, who had so far succeeded in remaining uninvolved.

"You think I'm being unreasonable, don't you?" she said.

"Of course you do," she went on when he didn't immediately answer. "I mean Chloe'd much rather have Emily as Chris's girlfriend than me, right?"

"What Chloe thinks is irrelevant as far as my brother's happiness goes," Wyatt replied.

"I'm sure she'd be happy to hear her opinion's so undervalued. That she's second best in your eyes."

Wyatt sighed. "You see that's your trouble, Bianca. You always see everything in black and white. Just because I put Chris's opinion above Chloe's where his love life is concerned, doesn't mean it's always like that. Chloe isn't second best, but then neither is Chris. She's my fiancée; he's my brother – two different relationships that each have their own place in my life."

"The difference is - this is a black and white situation."

"Actually I think it's anything but," Wyatt said, "But if you want to look at it in those terms – things were pretty rocky between you and Chris before Emily moved into the apartment downstairs from us. Can you honestly say that things wouldn't have ended up exactly the same if she hadn't?"

"You obviously think they would have done."

"Because I know Chris's reason for ending things had nothing to do with her."

"He said he was attracted to her, Wyatt!"

"Maybe, but his and Emily's closeness was a symptom of your problems, not the cause of them. I know it's easier to blame someone else for our own failings, but the only person that's hurting is you. Bitterness is an empty emotion, Bianca. Don't let yourself become consumed by it. Move on. Be happy."

"And let Emily win."

"Win what? If you find someone who wants the same things out of life as you do – which, let's face it, Chris doesn't - how can you have lost anything? If Chris ever made a choice between the two of you, he chose you anyway, Bianca. What more do you want? For him to deny himself the chance of love now because your pride is wounded?"

"I should have known you'd take his side."

"It's not a question of taking sides. I understand why this grates on you, but the fact of the matter is, neither of them consciously did anything wrong. Chris didn't cheat on you, and Emily… Emily went so far as to move to LA in an attempt to forget about him. It's not as if he dumped you and immediately took up with her either. They've only been dating a month. Breaking up with you wasn't something that my brother took lightly, Bianca, far from it."

"It's not enough of a big deal for him to care about my feelings now though, is it?"

"That's not true. Of course, he cares. I don't know – maybe I am biased – I want him to be happy - but since when has it been the norm for a new partner to be vetted by an ex? It seems kind of unfair for him and Emily to be deprived of the opportunity to be together just because you have an issue with it. It's not as if you want him back, is it?"

"That's not the point."

"Then what is the point, Bianca?"

Bianca didn't answer, she could see what he was trying to say, but that didn't stop the bitter resentment twisting her insides into knots. She had accepted that things were over between her and Chris and had begun to move on. However, learning that her rival had finally gotten her heart's desire from him made her feel distinctly hard done by, especially when she herself had failed to achieve that elusive goal.

Why had he made the effort for Emily and not for her? As if in answer to that, his parting words to her four months ago sprang to mind…

"_We've had a lot of fun together, Bianca, and I'll never forget you, but we don't really fit – not in the long-term, not for me anyway. I can't give you what you want and, in time, that's just going to make us both unhappy. It already has to a certain extent; the last few months have been a struggle you can't deny that. I think we both deserve the chance to find someone who's completely right for us, don't you?"_

"_You want marriage, someone to permanently share your life with, and I guess I do too – even if it's not quite as urgently as you. You asked me to make a decision one way or the other and this is it. I'm sorry it's not what you want, but I can't promise you something I can't deliver. I think it's time we called it a day before we end up hating each other, which I don't think either of us wants."_

Wyatt was right – Chris hadn't mentioned Emily once during that painful conversation – it had all been about the two of them and their problems – how he loved her but ultimately wasn't right for her. Yet it still rankled that he wasn't willing to at least try to change and become the companion she wanted him to be. Instead, he had given up and moved on without so much as a backward glance.

No matter what anyone said, she still believed that if it hadn't been for Emily waiting in the wings, Chris would have made more of an effort to work things out between them. And that piqued her resentment even if, as Wyatt said, she no longer wanted him back now. It was one thing accepting that their relationship was over, it was quite another giving her blessing to him dating Emily, the woman who had rocked the boat so severely between the two of them.

While all this was going through her head, Wyatt sat quietly in his seat, waiting for her to respond. Glancing over at him, Bianca saw the look of strain on his handsome face, which immediately made her feel guilty. It really wasn't fair to put him in the middle of this; he had his own concerns right now.

"Look – I should go," she said, rising to her feet. "We'll keep our ear to the ground and let you know if we find out any else, okay?"

Wyatt nodded. "Yeah thanks."

"Bianca?" he called after her as she made her way towards the door. She turned back to look questionably at him.

"Don't let that…," he waved his hand at the bathroom door, "Get to you too much. It isn't worth it. You'll find the right person for you, I'm sure of it. It'll be a lot harder if you hang onto the past and let this eat you up inside though."

Bianca smiled despite herself. Wyatt just couldn't help handing out the well-meaning advice. "Once a whitelighter, always a whitelighter, huh?" she quipped.

"No – I've just been there… with Tara."

"It's not the same – I mean she was…"

"A bitch?" Wyatt asked with a rueful smile.

"Yeah," Bianca agreed. "But Chris… he's essentially a good guy – even if his fear of commitment was incredibly annoying at times."

"Emily can never take away what you and he had, Bianca, just remember that. He loved you; I have no doubts about that. Sometimes two people can't find a way to make things work, but that doesn't mean that the feelings weren't genuine at the time. Just look back upon what you and Chris had together and appreciate it for what it was. Then, put it behind you and move on."

Not sure it was that simple; Bianca opened the door and left, the need for some sort of recompense still burning strongly inside of her…

**OOOOOO**

_**The Bathroom, a few minutes earlier…**_

Emily was standing contemplating her reflection in the mirror when Chris entered the room.

"I'm sorry," she apologised as he closed the door behind him. "I'm just fed up of always being the bad guy. Sometimes I wonder why I bothered trying to do the right thing. It's not as if I would have received any less of a hard time if I hadn't. And I might have even had some fun too."

"But you wouldn't have been able to live with yourself," Chris said astutely.

Emily nodded. "And that's the rub, I guess."

Chris smiled. "No, that's just you."

Emily turned round to face him. "You're not angry," she said. It was a statement of fact rather than a question.

Chris shrugged. "Should I be?" he asked.

"I could have tried to be a bit more diplomatic," Emily pointed out.

"I think the time for diplomacy is long gone. When it comes to this particular subject, Bianca's even more stubborn than you - if that's actually possible."

He shot her a faint smile and she punched him lightly on the arm in playful retaliation. Catching her by the wrist, Chris took the opportunity to pull her into his arms. They kissed, slowly and sweetly, memories of the previous night in the forefront of their minds as they did so.

"You know, I think I like this look on you," Chris murmured, running his finger along the neckline of the shirt Emily wore and making goosebumps break out on her skin.

"Mmm – is that so?" his girlfriend replied, looping her arms around his neck and kissing him again. "And it wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that it doesn't exactly leave much to the imagination, would it?"

"Of course not, what do you take me for?" Chris said, pretending to look affronted.

"A man!" Emily responded and then giggled.

Chris laughed with her before his mouth was drawn to hers again like a moth to a flame.

"What is Bianca doing here anyway?" Emily asked when they broke apart, both flushed with the headiness of newly consummated love.

"Oh, umm… something to do with some demons trying to sabotage the wedding."

"What?" Emily pulled back in shock. "Does Chloe know?"

Chris shook his head. "Not yet. I think Wyatt wanted to see how serious the threat was before he worried her."

Emily sighed. "Can't they just leave them alone for one day?"

"It'll be alright," Chris soothed. "Wyatt won't allow anything ruin his wedding and he usually achieves what he puts his mind to. Plus, he's got magical relations left, right and centre who'll help him to do that. Us Halliwells don't take too kindly to someone going after one of our own, you know."

Emily smiled fondly at him. "I can imagine," she said quietly.

"So you think Bianca's gone?" she asked after a beat.

"I have no idea. It wouldn't matter if she hadn't though; we're not going to hide in here. This is my apartment for god's sake."

"You can understand why she's upset," Emily said in a mollifying tone.

"Yes but there's upset and there's unreasonable, Emily. I wouldn't mind if it was me – or both of us even – that she was angry at, but this constant vilification of just you is getting ridiculous."

"Still – we shouldn't rub her nose in it," Emily went on. "I refuse to carry on taking all the blame, but I'm not that insensitive. Just give her time to get used to the idea. This wasn't the best way for her to find out about us, was it?"

"No, I guess not," Chris admitted and then sighed. "This wasn't how I envisaged today," he said morosely, leaning his forehead against hers. "I was thinking maybe the morning in bed, a leisurely lunch, a trip to the beach, a fun night out and then…"

"Back to my place?" Emily suggested archly, her eyes twinkling merrily at him.

"Well if you're gonna insist…," Chris returned playfully before he turned serious again. "As it is though, I'm probably going to end up spending the weekend helping Wyatt find out more about this possible demon attack."

Emily nodded, pushing aside the selfish frisson of disappointment at this reality. "They deserve a day to remember for the right reasons," she said.

"I know, I'm not begrudging him anything… well maybe just a little," he added with a self-depreciating smile.

"I'm willing to take a rain check on that day," Emily told him.

"Next weekend?" Chris suggested.

Her heart sinking, Emily looked back into his eyes, wanting to kick herself for being so hasty to jump to conclusions about him and Heather.

"No?" he asked, reading the expression on her face.

"No. Well yes, but…" She stopped and sighed. "I said I would go and visit my parents next weekend," she said. "I wanted to get away for a bit after…"

She looked down at the floor. "I'd cancel but I can't let my Mom down. She's been put in the middle with Dad and me and he's agreed to make an effort so…"

Chris nodded. "Don't worry about it. Of course, you have to go. Family has to come first sometimes, huh?"

Emily smiled wanly at him. "Looks like," she concurred.

"Come on," Chris said, taking her hand. "Let's get this over with."

When they exited the bathroom however, they discovered that Bianca had left. Wyatt was sitting alone in the lounge, his head on his hands, and he didn't look up at their entry.

"I'll go and umm… make coffee or something," Emily said, indicating the off-shot kitchenette just visible through the open door.

Chris nodded and then crossed to sit down opposite his brother. "We won't let anything happen," he said, squeezing his sibling's shoulder in a gesture of solidarity.

Wyatt finally looked up. "Yeah," he said wearily. "I know – I just wish I could take the day off sometimes."

"You and me both," Chris commiserated with a wry grimace. "So what did Bianca say?"

"About you and Emily? Or the demons intent on ruining my wedding?" Wyatt asked.

"Both, I guess."

"You can't blame her for being upset, Chris."

"I don't, I just can't carry on feeling guilty for wanting this. I didn't have an affair; Emily didn't try to come between us. I don't see why we should feel beholden to Bianca now. I know that probably makes me sound selfish, but I gave our relationship everything I had at the time and, unfortunately, it didn't work out. We all need to move on with our lives now."

Wyatt nodded. "Trouble is, Bianca doesn't like to admit defeat. She knows it's over, but I think she honestly believed she could have changed you if it hadn't been for Emily."

Chris sighed. "Well, she's wrong. Our differing attitudes were what caused all the problems between us in the first place. I couldn't be the kind of boyfriend she wanted. I had no interest in playing 'young-marrieds' with her and her friends, you see."

"Young-marrieds?" Wyatt queried with an amused chuckle.

"Yeah, you know what I mean. There was this whole social scene that went with being Bianca's other half – I always did find it incredibly dull to tell you the truth. I suppose she defied convention by choosing to be with me but, despite that, she still wanted to be part of that world on some level. It became more and more of an issue as time went on, and I guess it's what drove us apart in the end."

"We want totally different things from a relationship, you see. She wants the complete package - society wedding, posh house in the suburbs, the whole nine yards. Me? I just want to be with someone, to love and share my life with them, regardless of what that life turns out to be."

Wyatt grinned. "You're an incurable romantic, bro."

"Actually, I think I'm realistic," Chris replied offhandedly. "But anyway, enough of that, what did Bianca say about the wedding?"

"Her family haven't really heard anything specific – just that there are plans afoot to disrupt it. She said they'd try to find out more, but I can't just sit here and do nothing in the mean time."

"So we'll call a family meeting and come up with an action plan," Chris told him reassuringly.

Wyatt sighed. "I'm not going to get away with not telling Chloe, am I?"

Chris shook his head. "Probably not. It's better that she's prepared anyway."

"She's gonna rue the day she ever met me."

Chris laughed. "Somehow I don't think so. The girl is one hundred and fifty percent in love with you in case you hadn't noticed."

Wyatt smiled, the expression making him look a little less world-weary. "I know – which is why she's going to get the wedding day she deserves, even if I have to round up and vanquish every last demon in the Underworld to do it."

"Now there's a thought," Chris said with an impish smile. "Seriously though – don't worry about it. You're going to have a demon-free wedding because us Halliwells are going to do everything in our – let's face it - not so inconsiderable power to make it so. Call it an early wedding present if you like."

"I guess overbearing families do have their uses every once in a while then," Wyatt remarked drolly.

"Yeah and here was me thinking that they were just a major pain in the ass!" Chris returned, causing them both to break into laughter.

"What's so funny?" Emily asked as she rejoined them.

She was carrying a tray containing three steaming mugs of coffee and also some cookies that she'd found in a tin in one of the kitchen cupboards. She set the tray down on the coffee table and looked enquiringly at the chortling brothers.

"Just the joys of being a Halliwell," Chris said, rather cryptically. "Something your cousin is soon to discover all about incidentally."

"I think she already knows," Emily said with a smile.

Chris shook his head. "Uh-huh – we don't reveal the full extent of the horror until our victim has no means of escape."

"Better run for the hills then, Emily," Wyatt said slyly as he leaned forward and helped himself to a cookie.

"What?" he asked innocently when two pairs of eyes immediately turned upon him, "Just speculating."

Neither Chris nor Emily said anything, but exchanged a slightly wary, self-conscious glance before quickly looked away from each other in shy discomfiture. Wyatt suppressed a grin as he sat back in his chair.

Well, you never knew about these things, did you?

_**To be continued…**_


	32. Three Words

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Another update for you all. Thanks for the reviews.

This part is slightly shorter than the last few chapters and a little bit whimsical and sappy in places. It fits what I think Chris and Emily's mood would be at this point in their relationship though, so I'm making no apologies for it!

As with the last couple of parts, there's some innuendo and mature content, so please be suitably warned before reading.

**

* * *

Chapter 32 **

**_Chris's apartment, Thursday evening, five days later…_**

"What's wrong?" Emily asked, when Chris abruptly pulled away from her and cursed under his breath.

They'd been making out on the couch and things were getting decidedly heated, which was why his sudden retreat was so jarring. She'd been expecting things to move on into the bedroom, instead she felt as if she'd been doused in a bucket of ice water.

"Natalie," Chris replied shortly, combing his fingers through his mussed up hair in an attempt to make himself look more presentable.

"Your cousin?" Emily queried as she sat up and re-buttoned her blouse.

"Yeah – she's calling for me."

"A demon attack?"

"Possibly, but more than likely some teenage trauma," Chris replied. "Natalie's a fifteen year old drama queen if ever there was one…"

"And you're her regular knight in shining armour, huh?" Emily asked with a smile.

"More like the chump who feeds her addiction," Chris responded ruefully. "I won't be long," he added and then orbed out.

Emily settled back against the sofa cushions with a sigh, attempting to calm her racing heart and put her scattered wits back in order. This was the first full evening that they'd been able to spend together since the weekend, and she couldn't help feeling a little annoyed at the interruption.

Since Saturday, Chris had either been helping his brother investigate the demons determined to disrupt the wedding, or at Magic School supervising recital rehearsals. Wyatt had staved off the inevitable confrontation between her and Heather by offering to play chaperone on these occasions, and she'd reluctantly gone along with the plan despite her misgivings. She fully intended to have a word with Little Miss Cuckoo-in-the-Nest at some point though, but was mindful enough of her boyfriend's standing as a teacher not to create a scene in front of the whole school when she did.

Consequently, they hadn't had much opportunity to enjoy this new phase in their relationship. And, to make matters worse, they wouldn't see each other for four days after tonight, because she was leaving for her parent's in the morning. She'd been hoping for a nice, relaxing evening, just the two of them therefore. Unfortunately, it didn't look as if that was going to happen.

Ten minutes later, she heard Chris orbing back into the apartment, quickly followed by the sound of violent retching coming from the bathroom. A little worried, Emily rose to her feet and hurried over to the door. Cautiously pushing it open, she discovered Phoebe's youngest daughter, Natalie, on her knees with her head over the toilet bowl, and Chris standing beside her, his arms folded across his chest and his expression one of thunder.

With a soft, whimpering moan, the young girl threw up for a second time, then sat back and flushed the toilet. After wiping her mouth with the face cloth that her cousin thrust at her, she rose rather unsteadily to her feet. Her pretty face was pale and sweaty and her eyes red-rimmed from crying. Chris however, appeared to have little sympathy for her plight.

"In there. Now," he ordered, ushering her ahead of him into the living room.

Natalie obeyed and sat down dejectedly on the sofa, her eyes on the floor and her shoulders hunched.

"Okay, give me one good reason why I shouldn't take you home right now," Chris demanded, after he'd gone to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water for her.

"You can't! Mom'll kill me!" Natalie protested, looking up at him in horror.

"Well maybe you should have thought of that before you drank half a bowl of punch spiked with alcohol!" Chris returned. "I would have hoped you'd have more sense. You're only fifteen, Natalie."

"I'm sixteen next month," his cousin reminded him petulantly.

"And that makes a difference, how?"

"You don't understand," Natalie mumbled, her gaze downcast.

"What? Why you would choose to make a complete exhibition of yourself? No, you're right, I don't understand."

Natalie broke into huge, hiccupping sobs then and Chris looked about ready to strangle her. Deciding the time was ripe to intervene; Emily sat down next to the crying teenager and rubbed her back comfortingly.

"So – boy trouble or peer pressure?" she asked astutely.

"I thought he liked me!" Natalie wailed like a banshee in response.

"Oh spare me," Chris muttered under his breath with an exasperated roll of his eyes.

Emily bit back a smile and shot him a warning look, knowing how hugely important such things were to teenage girls. It didn't get that much different when you got older, she thought absently. Her own pining for Chris had overshadowed her life for an unerringly long time.

"So, what happened?" she asked sympathetically.

"Toby and I were dancing and then Carly Summers arrived - you'd think she was already Prom Queen the way she was acting. Anyway, one flutter of her false eyelashes and that was it. They were making out like… like rabbits! In front of everyone! I mean just because she's…"

Natalie made a cupping gesture with her hands, indicating a bust-line that Emily was quite certain no teenage girl would be able to achieve without the aid of extensive surgical enhancement.

"…Doesn't make her an interesting person, does it? She's such an airhead. I don't think she has two brain cells to rub together. It was so humiliating!"

"So what? You thought you'd drown your sorrows in the punch bowl?" Chris said acidly. "And why was it alcoholic anyway? If I'm not very much mistaken, every kid at that party was underage."

"It wasn't my party!" his cousin protested in her defence.

"But you still went to it _and_ extensively sampled the refreshments by the looks of things," Chris immediately retorted.

"You won't tell Mom will you?" Natalie asked fearfully. "Please Chris!" she said when he didn't answer straightaway. "I called you because…"

"You thought I'd be gullible enough to cover for you?"

"No! I… I thought you'd understand. You're not so, umm… so principled as Wyatt."

"If you're trying to get me on side, you're going the wrong way about it," Chris warned her.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just… you know what I mean!"

Chris sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. "I'll cover for you once and once only, okay?" he told her sternly, "But only if you promise never to pull a stunt like this again. If you do, you're on your own."

"Thanks Chris!" Natalie beamed at him, despite her queasy stomach. "You're the best cousin ever! I knew you'd let me stay."

"Whoa! What? No way. You can stick around here until you've sobered up a bit, but then you're going home. I'm not having my whole evening ruined by your idiocy, thank you very much."

"But what if Mom…?"

"You'll just have to take your chances on that."

"Can't you come up with a spell or something to…?" Natalie waved her hand to illustrate her point.

"Forget it," her cousin said with an adamant shake of his head. "You can suffer the hangover. And don't even think about attempting to magic it away yourself," he warned.

"But I've got school tomorrow," Natalie protested.

"Tough," Chris remarked unsympathetically. "Maybe it'll teach you a valuable lesson in self-control."

Natalie pouted. "When did you become so uncool?"

"Did you want me to change my mind? Because I'm more than willing to at this point, I assure you."

"No, no," Natalie sniffed and wiped her eyes. "Toby is such a jerk!" she burst out a moment later. "Why are boys so, so…?"

"Driven by a certain part of their anatomy?" Emily suggested blithely.

"Yes!" Natalie agreed with a vigorous nod of her head, which almost had her running for the bathroom again.

"Don't worry, they get more discerning as they grow up," Emily replied with a conspiratorial wink. "Most of the time anyway," she added.

"I'll have you know some of us are more discerning before we reach adulthood," Chris said, a little affronted by the inference that the entire teenage male population were a slave to their rampaging hormones.

"Right, so Shona Templeton was your average teenage girl?" Emily teased. "Funny, I thought you said she had legs up to her armpits and an eye-popping cleavage to match."

Chris looked steadily at her and she grinned widely at him.

"Who's Shona Templeton?" Natalie asked curiously.

"Chris's first big crush," Emily informed her. "She completely ignored all his attempts to impress her, poor baby."

Natalie giggled and Chris shot his girlfriend a 'you'll pay for that later' look.

"More fool her if you ask me," Emily continued, instantly earning back some brownie points.

"Actually I was kind of geeky back then," Chris admitted.

"Then we'd have made quite a pair," Emily replied. "Red hair, freckles and limbs like a giraffe does not an attractive teenager make."

Chris grinned. "I bet you were cute though."

"No, Chloe with the gorgeous blonde hair, stunningly beautiful eyes and perfect figure was cute. I was the antithesis of it, believe me. The 'in-crowd' never did understand why she lowered herself to hang out with me."

"More fool them then," Chris replied, echoing her earlier sentiment.

Emily beamed. "He's so nice," she commented to Natalie, who was watching them with a slightly envious look on her face.

"I'm interrupting, aren't I?" she asked, belatedly noticing the half-empty wine glasses on the coffee table, the dimmed lighting and the romantic music playing to itself in the background.

"Oh, you think?" Chris said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know!" Natalie insisted.

"No, you just assumed I'd have nothing better to do with my evening than rescue an inebriated teenager from the gutter."

"Chris…"

"Quit while you're marginally ahead, Nat, please," her cousin interrupted. "Just go and get yourself cleaned up. Take a shower or something - I'll magic you up some replacement clothes."

Natalie wisely obeyed and retreated to the bathroom, while Chris sat down in an armchair and shook his head wearily. "I'm such a soft touch," he said to Emily. "Aunt Phoebe'll kill me if she finds out about this."

"I don't see any harm as long as it's a one time thing," Emily said. "And it's not like you're condoning what she's done, is it? That lecture was worthy of any father of a wayward teenage girl, I assure you. My Dad certainly didn't do any better when I staggered home in a similar state at seventeen."

She stopped and smiled warmly at him and he grinned back.

"Besides, I don't think she's gonna get away with it anyway," Emily continued. "By the looks of things, she's going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning. You think Phoebe's not going to notice something like that? It's highly unlikely to slip under her Mom radar if you ask me, not when she's already raised two older daughters."

Chris nodded. "You're probably right," he agreed. "I guess I can remain the cool cousin and still be responsible at the same time then."

"Precisely. You can't lose."

"Unless Nat shoots her mouth off."

"Which she won't if she knows what's good for her. Believe me, as a former teenage girl, having an older cousin or sibling to call upon in such circumstances is infinitely more desirable than suffering the humiliation of having to get your parents to come and collect you."

Chris laughed. "I guess so," he said and then sighed. "I'm sorry about all of this. Cousin Interruptus wasn't what I had in mind for tonight."

Emily giggled. "I guess you're just going to have to make it up to me once you've escorted Miss Interruptus home then," she said archly.

"Which reminds me," Chris said, getting to his feet and crossing the room in a few long strides.

"Nat?" he called, tapping on the bathroom door. "What time's your curfew?"

"Ten thirty – it's a school night," the teenager's voice echoed back through the wooden panel over the sound of running water.

"Okay, so you've got just over an hour," Chris said, after consulting his watch. "Better start thinking sober if you don't want to get busted."

"You're just so full of sympathy," Emily teased as he rejoined her on the sofa.

"I think I'd be a bit more understanding if the whole thing wasn't self-inflicted," Chris replied.

"The boy she liked did stamp all over her heart in front of all her classmates though."

"Maybe it'll teach her to have better taste in future then."

"Chris!"

"I'm sorry. It's just she has the worst timing ever. We won't see each other again until Tuesday."

"I know," Emily said, snuggling into his side and resting her cheek against his chest. Chris lightly stroked his fingers through her hair and dropped a kiss on the crown of her head.

"Would Wyatt really have taken her straight home?" she asked.

"Probably," Chris replied. "Not out of spite though - for her own good. And because he's scared of Aunt Phoebe of course," he added.

Emily smiled. "And you're not?" she enquired.

"Well yeah, but I have more of a reckless streak so I don't mind risking her wrath."

Emily laughed. "I so love you," she declared and then froze when she realised what she'd said.

So much for not being the first to admit it aloud - Chris had said on Saturday that he was in love with her but it wasn't quite the same. She needn't have worried about his reaction though. Pulling away slightly, he slipped his fingers under her chin and raised her face so that he could look her in the eye.

"Well, that's good," he said, gently brushing her hair away from her forehead with his fingertips.

"It is?" Emily asked a little warily.

"Uh-huh," he confirmed with a nod.

"Why?"

"Umm… because I'm thinking I love you too," he said before bending to reiterate those words with a kiss.

Overwhelmed, Emily wound her arms around his neck and kissed him back, forgetting all about the teenager in the bathroom for a long, heady moment, until Chris finally broke the spell and reluctantly pulled away from her

"Better not corrupt the innocent," he murmured in her ear, making her giggle rather girlishly.

After planting a soft kiss on the side of her neck and another on her lips, Chris deliberately untangled himself from her arms and stood up.

"I promise I'll behave myself," Emily said of his retreat.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I can resist the temptation," Chris said ruefully, much to her ego's delight.

He began to clean up the dinner dishes to distract himself and Emily rose to help him.

"You better watch it," she said as they went through into the kitchen, laden down with crockery. "Or I'll start thinking you only want me for one thing."

Chris shot her a thoughtful glance before choosing to respond to her words rather than her playful tone. "It goes a lot deeper than that," he told her gruffly.

Emily beamed as a delicious feeling of contentment filled her from the inside out. "Yeah, for me too," she said softly, reaching out and stroking the side of his face with her fingers.

Catching her hand in his, Chris turned it over and tenderly kissed the inside of her palm before letting go and beginning to load the dishwasher. They went about the rest of the domestic activity in silence, frequently exchanging meaningful looks as they quietly adjusted to the reality of their openly acknowledged feelings for each other.

As the evening wore on, Emily was in turn both blissfully happy and extremely antsy. Although sympathetic to the teenager's situation, she found herself constantly watching the clock, waiting impatiently for the time when Natalie would be leaving. Eventually the longed-for moment arrived and, while Chris escorted his errant cousin home, Emily discovered an inexplicable inability to sit still.

Instead, she agitatedly prowled the living room, waiting for him to return, her rapid, shallow breaths sounding loud in her ears as she paced, up and down and round and round. Her endless to-ing and fro-ing only stopped when Chris orbed back in, and she turned to face him, her heart in her mouth.

Her boyfriend, it seemed, was infected with a similar urgency because he immediately reached out towards her. Circling her waist with his right arm, he pulled her firmly up against him, so that they were virtually nose-to-nose and their bodies only a hair's breadth apart.

"Now, where were we?" he said, his voice low and scratchy and his breath tantalising warm against her waiting lips...

**OOOOOO**

Blinking drowsily, Wyatt slowly emerged into half-wakefulness, roused from peaceful slumber by something unknown. The room was dark, but it only took him a moment to realise that Chloe wasn't in bed beside him.

As that fact registered, the fog of sleep instantly lifted and he quickly sat up, his heart beating a little faster as anxiety flooded his veins. His concerns were swiftly alleviated however, when he sensed her presence in the other room. Pushing aside the coverlet, he got to his feet, pulled on a robe to ward off the slight chill of the air-conditioning system and padded through into the lounge.

Chloe was curled up on the broad window ledge, staring out into the night sky, her forehead resting lightly against the cool glass. She jumped in shock when he spoke her name, having been so absorbed in her thoughts that she hadn't heard him enter the room.

"You're cold," he informed her, rubbing his hand up and down her bare arm as he sat down behind her.

"I'm okay," she said quietly.

Ignoring this assurance, Wyatt manoeuvred himself so that he was sitting with his legs either side of her. Pulling her back into the circle of his arms, he wrapped his robe around the two of them, cocooning them together in a kind of makeshift human chrysalis.

"You want to talk about it?" he asked when he was done.

"I think they call it pre-wedding jitters," his fiancée told him, "Only I don't suppose these are the normal worries that most people have."

"No second thoughts about your choice of husband then?" Wyatt asked lightly.

Chloe shook her head. "No, that's the one thing I know I've got right."

Wyatt turned his head into her hair and tenderly kissed her temple. "So, it must be the potential for uninvited guests on the big day then," he guessed shrewdly.

Chloe tilted her head back to look up into his face. "I just want everything to go smoothly. Is that so much to ask?"

"In my world, sometimes, yeah," Wyatt replied with a sigh. "I'm sorry."

Chloe twisted around in his arms and pressed her face into the hollow of his throat, softly kissing his Adam's apple. "It's not your fault," she said. "And I know you're doing everything you can. I'm just being selfish, I suppose."

"Why? Because you want our wedding day to be perfect? I think every bride – and groom – wants that."

"Can't you just make a demon repellent or something?" Chloe asked plaintively.

Wyatt looked down at her thoughtfully. "You know that's not such a crazy idea as it sounds," he said slowly.

"It's not?" Chloe enquired sceptically.

Her fiancé shook his head. "No, I think you might actually be on to something there. I'll run it past Mom and the Aunts tomorrow."

"Well, what do you know? I'm blessed with brains as well as beauty," Chloe quipped with a smile, her worries subsiding a little now that she'd admitted them out loud.

"Now there's a surprise," Wyatt remarked teasingly, dropping a sweet kiss on the end of her nose and smiling down into her violet-blue eyes.

"So, are you coming back to bed now?" he asked after a beat.

Chloe pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I think I might be persuaded," she said, "Although I'm not all that sleepy."

"Well, there's no law that says we have to sleep," Wyatt replied, winking suggestively at her.

"You've got a one-track mind," Chloe accused as they made their way back into their bedroom, fingers entwined.

"You know, I think that's entirely possible," her fiancé admitted with aplomb…

**OOOOOO**

_**The next day…**_

Holding tightly onto Chris's left hand, Emily found herself almost having to run to keep up with his purposeful strides, as they wended their way through the crowds at the airport, hurrying towards the check-in desk before it closed. They had left it extremely late, both reluctant to part company until they absolutely had to.

"I could orb you, you know," Chris had offered over breakfast. "My first class isn't until one thirty - we could spend the whole morning together."

"I know," Emily replied. "But Mom and Dad'll be waiting for me at the arrival gate and we're not going to be able to orb into that part of the airport undetected. Plus, if there's one thing guaranteed to annoy Dad, it'd be me arriving by unconventional means. No, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to resort to public transport. I know it's a pain the ass, but I owe it to my Mom to make the effort."

Chris nodded in understanding. "Are you going to tell him about us?" he asked.

Emily sighed. "I don't know. If we do manage to reach some sort of compromise over me using magic, it might be wise to let the dust settle before bringing the subject of our relationship up. Then again, maybe being up front and getting everything out in the open first would be the best thing. I guess I'm just going to wait and see how things pan out before I decide which way to jump. If that's okay with you of course."

"He's your Dad, Emily."

"I know, but I don't want you to think I'm ashamed of being with you."

Chris reached across the table and gently squeezed her fingers. "I don't," he said reassuringly. "If you want my opinion though, I don't think you should leave it too long before telling him. You don't want him to think that you're deliberately keeping secrets."

As she handed her ticket voucher to the check-in clerk, Emily was still in two minds about the best way to approach the situation. Chris was right, staying silent on the subject could easily backfire on her. However, her Dad was so touchy about her magical side, that throwing their relationship into the mix at the outset could just as easily result in the immediate closure of all lines of communication between them.

Emily was determined not to let her Mom down if she could help it though. She was still very conscious that her estrangement from her father had caused trouble in her parent's normally rock-solid marriage, and she couldn't help feel responsible for that, despite her mother's insistence that she wasn't to worry about it. She wanted this weekend to go well for all their sakes and, if she had to make a few compromises to achieve that, then so be it.

Once she'd checked in, she and Chris headed to one of the restaurants to grab a quick cup of coffee before her flight was called. However, because they'd left it so late before leaving for the airport, the time for them to part was soon upon them.

"So are you going to miss me?" Emily asked, winding her arms around Chris's neck as he drew her into his arms to kiss her goodbye.

"Mmm…" the dark-haired witch-whitelighter pretended to think about it. "Might do," he eventually decided.

"You'll have to do better than that if you want me to get on that return flight on Tuesday," she threatened.

In answer, Chris lowered his mouth to hers and proceeded to kiss her breathless. "How's that?" he asked, when he eventually released her from the dizzying embrace.

"It's an improvement," she said offhandedly.

Chris laughed. "I'll give you 'improvement'," he said, digging her in the ribs and making her giggle.

Unable to help themselves, they kissed again, this time with sweet, gentle tenderness rather than the heady passion of their previous embrace.

"I wish I didn't have to go," Emily bemoaned when they drew apart. "It's not going to be the most relaxing of weekend's away."

"It'll be worth it if you manage to sort things out with your Dad though," Chris said, tucking a stray strand of her red hair behind her ear.

"Yeah," she admitted softly. "But I can't say I'm confident about that happening. I love him, but he can be incredibly stubborn at times."

"Like father, like daughter then, huh?" Chris teased.

Emily stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed. "You should go," he said, lightly resting his forehead against hers and gazing down into the depths of her ocean-blue eyes.

"I don't want to," Emily said, her mouth settling into a cute little pout.

The expression was so adorable that he just had to kiss her again.

"Okay, you really need to go," he said laughingly, pushing her back a step. "Or I'm going to kidnap you and imprison you in my lair so that I can keep you all to myself."

"Right, and that's really going to persuade me to leave," Emily replied with playful sarcasm. "The whole point is to make the prospect sound unattractive, Chris, not the other way round."

Her boyfriend smiled. "You're going to miss your flight if you're not careful," he warned her.

Emily made a little noise of complaint in the back of her throat and then drew in a deep breath. "Okay – say you love me."

"You love me," Chris returned in a flash

"Chris!" She slapped him lightly on the arm in protest.

"Well, you do," he rejoined.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Well, I know _that_," she said. "Question is – do you?"

"What? Do I love me?"

"And you're so not funny..."

Chris laughed. "I love you," he said and planted a firm kiss on her lips to seal the deal.

"And you're going to miss me, right?" Emily prompted.

"Don't push your luck, girl," he warned her playfully.

Emily wasn't to be deterred however. "Right?" she repeated with mock sternness.

"Right," the dark-haired witch-whitelighter obligingly agreed.

As a reward, Emily cupped his face between her hands and kissed him for umpteenth time, before finally untangling herself from his arms. "I'll see you Tuesday," she said, as she started to walk towards the departure gate.

"And I love you too," she added, shooting him a bright, sunny smile over her shoulder.

"Don't forget to call," Chris reminded her.

"I won't," Emily promised. "Bye!" she said, waving to him in farewell.

After waving back, Chris waited until she'd disappeared from view, then turned on his heel and headed for the airport exit, a decidedly jaunty spring to his step and a huge smile splitting his handsome face almost in two. It really was a beautiful day, even if he did say so himself…

_**To be continued…**_

**

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P.S.** Natalie is the youngest of Phoebe's three daughters and the cousin I didn't get to introduce in Chapter 19, if you can remember that far back! Oh, and I don't advocate under-age drinking - I hope that's clear. 


	33. Family Secrets

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hello – here's a new chapter for you all to read. Hope u like it! Thanks for the reviews, they're always appreciated. So, time to get on with the story…

**

* * *

Chapter 33 **

_**Magic School, Sunday afternoon…**_

"Remind me why I agreed to do this again?" Chris said, glancing with distaste at the stack of end-of-year reports that he was carefully folding and putting into brown envelopes.

"Because you're dedicated to your job," Leo said, calmly signing another report and adding it to the pile on the desk between them.

"More like Emily's away, Wyatt and Chloe are out on a date and I haven't got anything better to do with my time," Chris replied. "Why they still have to date when they're getting married in a couple of weeks, I'll never know."

Leo smiled, knowing his son was only jesting. "I think it's called making time for each other," he said, "Something that's the key to a successful marriage in my experience."

"Well, I guess with almost thirty years under your belt, you'd know something about that."

"I'd like to think so."

Chris grinned at his father. "Thirty years is a _long_ time," he quipped.

"The best years of my life, son. Find the right girl and nothing is more rewarding, I assure you."

"Not even being a Dad?" Chris asked archly, a playful twinkle sparkling in his green eyes.

"For me, the two roles pretty much go hand in hand," Leo answered smoothly. "Husband and father, they're both part of the same package as far as I'm concerned."

"Very diplomatic answer," Chris congratulated him with an approving nod.

Leo laughed and his son joined in moments later.

"Well, all I can say is, I hope I get so lucky," the young witch-whitelighter remarked when their laughter subsided.

"Things are going well with Emily, aren't they?" Leo asked.

Chris smiled; his face alight with soft pleasure as thoughts of his girlfriend intruded. "Yeah, but it's a bit early to be thinking about things like that. I mean, I love her and all that, but only time will tell on how our relationship works out in the long term."

"Well, loving her is a good start," Leo said with a broad smile.

Chris ducked his gaze self-consciously, not realising what he'd inadvertently let slip until it was helpfully pointed out to him.

"I'd prefer it if you kept that little nugget of information to yourself for the time being," he said once he'd regained his composure. "With all the wedding fever going around, the Auntly speculation has reached new heights and I don't want to add fuel to an already raging fire."

Leo laughed, knowing full well what his sister-in-laws were like when it came to their nephew's love lives.

"All right, your secret's safe with me," he promised, "And talking of secrets – are you going to explain why your brother has started taking an interest in the recital rehearsals all of a sudden? It's rather odd seeing as he specifically excused himself from the job a few weeks ago, don't you think?"

"You don't miss a trick, do you?" Chris complained good-naturedly.

Setting aside his pen, Leo steepled his fingers together and calmly waited for an explanation.

"There was a… err, umm… an incident with Heather a couple of weeks ago," Chris began rather hesitantly.

"An incident?"

"Yeah, she, umm… she kissed me and Emily saw us."

Leo blinked, not quite believing what he was hearing. "Didn't you just finish up telling me that you loved this girl?" he enquired, a hint of censure in his tone.

"I didn't kiss her back! She jumped me!" Chris immediately protested. "Anyway, long story short - me and Emily have worked things out but …"

"She's not overly happy about you and Heather spending time together, even if it is only for school matters."

"Exactly – Wyatt's presence is a compromise, so it doesn't end up in a cat-fight in front of the whole school. I thought you'd prefer to avoid that."

"And Heather?"

"I made it clear I wasn't interested. I mean, she knew before…"

"You sure about that?"

"I may not have specifically said 'I'm not interested,' but I definitely told her I was dating Emily - I was trying to be subtle."

Leo shook his head at his son's naivety. "Not everyone thinks like you, Chris. You probably needed to be more specific."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean you have no concept of non-exclusive dating."

"Isn't that just another word for cheating?"

"When a relationship reaches a certain point, yes, but some people do occasionally date more than one person when they're trying to find someone they like enough to start a relationship with."

"I guess," Chris agreed, "But I think I made it clear that it wasn't like that with Emily and I though."

"Maybe Heather only heard what she wanted to hear."

"I suppose," Chris said with a dubious frown. "She seems contrite enough anyway, so hopefully that's the end of the matter."

"Well if it isn't, you need to tell me because I don't want the situation getting out of hand. You should have informed me of this in the first place. I'm the headmaster at this school – I need to know about any issues between my staff – whether they're my sons or not."

"Yeah I know; I'm sorry. I guess I thought I could handle it myself."

Chris's cell buzzed then and he quickly fished it out of his pocket. "Excuse me," he said to his Dad, getting to his feet and moving out of earshot.

"Hey!" he said, flipping open the phone and answering it.

"Hey! It's me," Emily's voice sounded in his ear.

"Well yeah, I figured that from the 'Hot Babe' caller id."

Emily giggled. "It doesn't say that."

"You wanna bet on that?" her boyfriend responded teasingly.

"No, I know you; you'll only change it so that you win."

"Something tells me that you know me a little too well - which is rather worrying actually."

There was a brief lull in the conversation and then... "It doesn't say that, does it?" Emily demanded sharply.

Chris laughed at her tone. "No, I was only joking,'" he replied before changing the subject. "So, how's it going with your Dad?"

"Oh, okay I guess."

"That doesn't sound very promising."

"No, it is. I mean, he's talking civilly to me without the accusatory undertone, which is something at least."

"But...," Chris prompted.

"It's just that the whole 'my daughter's a witch and I don't want her to be' subject now appears to be on the taboo list. It's like if we don't talk about it, the problem goes away. I don't know, I guess I was hoping that we'd be able to resolve things, or at least reach some sort of compromise. How can I tell him about us if he won't acknowledge that that part of my life exists?"

"Maybe you're going to have to force the issue," Chris suggested.

"Yeah, I'd pretty much reached that conclusion myself," Emily admitted with reluctance. "We're going to the Lake for a walk this afternoon – I'm thinking of lighting the blue touch paper when we get back."

"Well, good luck with that."

"Thanks. I think I'm gonna need it…," Emily broke off then to respond to someone that Chris hadn't been able to hear - _Yeah Mom, I'll be down in a minute – _"Sorry, I've got to go."

"Sure, call me later okay?"

"Yep, will do. I love you."

"I love you too. I'll speak to you soon, all right?"

"'Kay. See ya!"

"Bye!"

Emily ended the call with a click and Chris re-pocketed his cell, his mood buoyed by their brief conversation. It had been good to hear her voice; he'd missed her these past couple of days.

'Geez, I've got it bad,' he thought to himself as he turned to rejoin his father, who had resumed adding his signature to the bottom of the end-of-year reports.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Leo said, as his son slid into the seat opposite him and took the next report from the top of the pile. "Your Mom says you're to come to dinner tonight."

"I don't get a choice?" Chris asked with a smile.

"Yes, as long as you make the right one," his father replied with an answering grin.

Chris laughed. "Okay, dinner with the old folks it is," he agreed. "I take it Wyatt's been summoned too?"

Leo nodded. "I think Piper said she'd invited him and Chloe as well. And we'll have less of the 'old folks' please."

"Dad – you do know you're like, way older than Grandpa, right?" Chris said cheekily.

"In years maybe, but not in other ways - a fact for which you ought to be grateful by the way."

"Oh and how's that then?

"You're part-whitelighter."

Chris looked at him blankly.

"It means you won't age as quickly," Leo spelled it out for him.

His son's eyes widened. "You're kidding, right?"

Leo shook his head. "No." He smiled. "Surely you'd realised?"

"No, I…," Chris stopped and thought about it for a moment. "Cool!" he declared.

"See," Leo said lightly. "There are some advantages to having me as a father after all."

"Well, that might be going a _bit_ far," Chris joked, earning himself a look of protest from his long-suffering parent.

"Funny," he said in a tone heavy with sarcasm.

"I thought so," his son replied jovially, his green eyes alight with mischief.

"I knew having a second child was going to be a huge mistake," Leo shot back, clearly not meaning a word of it.

The look of indulgent affection he cast at his son as accompaniment to this statement was ample proof of that, and Chris was secure enough in their father-son bond not take his words seriously anyway. Instead, he grinned happily at his Dad, sealed another envelope and TK'd it into the relevant box before picking up the next report to fold.

It was at times like these that Leo was grateful that he'd been given a second chance to correct what had gone wrong in the other timeline. The other Chris had succeeded in saving more than just Wyatt's future in the end; he had managed to strengthen their family unit beyond measure.

Whenever Leo was torn between his responsibilities as an Elder and those to his family, all he had to do was remember the look of hurt in the first Chris's eyes, when he had said that his father never had any time for him, and everything was brought sharply into perspective. It reminded him that the odd hour or two, a school recital, a family picnic did matter because added together they equalled a lifetime of missed opportunities.

Another thing he discovered was that the other Elders, despite their overbearing attitude, could wait for most things. He quickly learned the difference between the extremely urgent and mildly pressing jingles and altered his response to suit. His family never begrudged his absence when the situation was code red, because now they always had his presence when it was not.

Twenty-six years ago, he had struggled to understand how he could have neglected his son so badly; it just didn't seem to fit with what he knew about himself. Now, he could see that with all the balls of responsibility he had had to juggle, it might have been easy to let one of them drop, not through lack of care, simply through inadvertent inattention.

It was a mistake that had not been repeated, a fact to which his close relationship with his second son was a testament. He knew this couldn't completely repair the emotional damage wrought to the other Chris, but he hoped that some way, somehow, the first incarnation of his younger child knew that he had kept his promise. It was nice to think that maybe he was looking down on them now from somewhere up above and smiling...

**OOOOOO**

_**The Halliwell Manor, later that same day…**_

Chris leaned casually against the counter, watching as his Mom removed a large dish of Italian Baked Chicken from the oven. The rich smells of basil, tomato and garlic filled the air with a delicious aroma, making his stomach rumble in anticipation of the coming feast.

"Can you bring the potatoes and vegetables please?" Piper asked as she headed through into the dining area with their main course.

"It's ready," she called out to the others, who were sitting talking in the lounge.

Doing as instructed, Chris pulled on a pair of oven gloves and picked up two of the three dishes of vegetables waiting on the counter. Floating the third in front of him with his telekinesis, he followed his Mom through into the other room and deposited his cargo on the cloth-covered table.

"What?" he asked innocently, when Piper shot a faint look of disapproval at him.

"Would it have killed you to bring them through in two trips?" she said acidly.

"No, but why exert myself when I don't have to?" Chris said glibly, taking a seat next to Leo.

"He's got you there, Mom," Wyatt remarked, as he and Chloe seated themselves opposite his brother and father. "It does seem rather a waste for him not use the advantages he was born with."

"I don't know how I managed to bring up two such lazy sons," Piper said exasperatedly, as she sat down at the head of the table in between her husband and eldest son.

"We're not lazy…" Wyatt protested.

"Just energy efficient," Chris finished with a grin.

"Not to mention a pair of smart-asses," Chloe added, making her future parents-in-law laugh.

As they helped themselves to food, the shrill sound of a cell phone suddenly filled the air and both Chris and Wyatt automatically reached for their shirt pockets before realising that they were not the ones being called.

"Oh! That's me!" Chloe jumped, belatedly recognising the new ring-tone that she'd switched to the previous day.

She reached down and scrabbled around in her purse, extracting her ringing cell a moment later. "It's Aunt Bella," she said with a frown.

"Hello?" she said, putting the phone to her ear.

".."

"What? When?"

Chris looked up sharply at Chloe's shocked tone. He had no reason to believe the call was about Emily, but somehow he just knew. His insides turned into ice as he desperately tried to glean what he could from the one-sided conversation.

".."

"But why didn't she call Wyatt?"

".."

"Oh. Right. Of course. I should have known, shouldn't I? She is going to be okay though?"

".."

"For how long?"

".."

"Yeah, yeah, okay. Give her my love, all right?"

".."

"Okay, sure. I will. Bye!"

Chloe shut off her cell and looked over at Chris and Wyatt. "Emily's in the hospital," she announced. "She and her parents were attacked by demons this afternoon and she got hurt. It's kind of weird though, Aunt Bella said she didn't think the demons were actually trying to kill them. Apparently all they did was wound Emily and then shimmer out again."

"Emily was the target?" Wyatt questioned.

"Aunt Bella reckons so, yeah."

"Is she going to be all right?" Chris demanded, not really caring about the whys and wherefores of the attack right now. All that mattered was that Emily was not too badly hurt.

"She will be, yeah," Chloe assured him, "Aunt Bella says they're going to keep her in for a couple of days just to be sure, but she should be discharged on Tuesday all being well."

"So why didn't she call me to heal her?" Wyatt asked, while his brother sagged in relief at this encouraging news.

"Uncle David insisted on taking her to the hospital rather than calling for you. You know what he's like when it comes to magic. Emily had passed out and I think Aunt Bella wasn't sure whether you'd hear her if she called anyway, so I guess she didn't bother arguing with him."

"The same hospital you were in?" Chris asked, pushing back his chair and hurriedly rising to his feet.

Chloe nodded. "Yes, but Aunt Bella said that we should…"

Chris disappeared in a plume of blue lights.

"Wait until morning before we go to visit," Chloe finished, throwing Wyatt a look of abject dismay.

"Why?" her fiancé queried, sensing there was a specific reason behind this request.

"To give Uncle David some time to calm down a bit, I think," Chloe explained. "Will he be diplomatic?" she asked after a beat.

"Who? Chris?"

"Well yeah - who else?"

"Err… under normal circumstances, yeah, I think he probably would be," Wyatt replied. "But right now? With Emily in a hospital bed? I'd say not. Especially if anyone tries to stop him from seeing her."

"Fabulous," Chloe stated flatly, casting her eyes skyward in a gesture of despair.

"So are we attempting damage limitation or should we just let it play out?" Wyatt asked.

Chloe sighed. "Uncle David's going to have to deal sometime, I suppose," she said wearily.

"And what exactly is wrong with my son dating his daughter?" Piper asked in an affronted tone. Her boys were honest, hard-working young men with decent morals. How could any father object?

"Nothing," Chloe said, "Apart from the fact that he's a witch – and a whitelighter."

"A double magical whammy," Wyatt commented wryly.

"Yeah, which pretty much makes him Uncle David's worst nightmare," Chloe went on. "It's not personal though, my Uncle just has this huge mental block when it comes to anything remotely magical."

"But he's married to a witch," Piper protested in confusion.

Chloe nodded. "Yeah, I never did work that one out," she said in a thoughtful tone. "It's all a bit of a mystery to be honest – why Uncle David is like he is, I mean. I get the impression that there's some big family secret that neither I, nor Emily, know about. I might be imagining it of course, but there has to be a reason for him being this way. He's generally a good guy, you know. It's only this one issue he's totally unreasonable about."

"Chris sure can pick 'em," Wyatt remarked with a faint smile. "Women with difficult fathers, I mean. Bianca's Dad was Mr Disapproval too."

"Well, the less said about that man the better," his mother cut in. "I don't understand why you still maintain a link with him to be honest."

Wyatt shrugged. "He has useful contacts and his information is always accurate. I'm not going to cut off my nose to spite my face just because I don't personally like the guy. If it wasn't for him, we'd be in the dark about the demons trying to sabotage the wedding. And that's a good enough reason to keep the lines of communication open for me. It looks like he's decided to use Bianca as the go-between now anyway."

"And you really think that's wise?" Piper said, "Given her history with your brother?"

"Mom," Wyatt said in a tone of mild censure. "I _like_ Bianca – that hasn't changed just because things didn't work out between her and Chris. I agree the situation's a little bit awkward at the moment – especially with the Emily issue – but I'm sure we can work around that eventually."

"The Emily issue?" Piper queried. "It's been over four months since they split. Surely Bianca must have known Chris would start dating again at some point?"

"Well yeah, but…" Wyatt broke off as Chloe dug him sharply in the ribs, reminding him that his mother didn't know the full story where Chris, Bianca and Emily were concerned.

Chris had been meaning to tell her, he knew, but hadn't gotten around to it yet, probably because the subject was somewhat delicate and also because he'd been rather pre-occupied with Emily of late. Apart from the week they'd not been speaking to each other, the two had been pretty much inseparable since the weekend when Chloe had finally found her dream wedding dress.

"…I don't think she expected him to find someone else before she did," he quickly covered.

Piper nodded, luckily not picking up on what he'd almost let slip. "She'll get used to it," she surmised, "Once the shock wears off."

'I wouldn't count on it,' Wyatt thought to himself, but didn't voice this opinion out loud.

He thought Bianca might eventually forgive Chris for his apparent misdemeanour, once she was happy in a new relationship that was, but he couldn't see her ever really getting on with, or even being civil to Emily. That kind of grudge died hard, especially with a woman as proud and as competitive as Bianca. She would never forgive Emily for winning Chris's heart when she'd been unable to, the best they could hope for on that score was a truce for the sake of common courtesy.

"Well, tuck in," Piper said, switching the subject to the dinner on the table in front of them. "Don't let it go cold, I didn't slave away in the kitchen for hours for nothing, you know."

Wyatt smiled at his mother's comment, knowing that she would happily spend an entire day 'slaving away' in the kitchen if she got the opportunity to. She always seem to gain the greatest pleasure from cooking, especially for her family, which given the culinary treats she served up on a regular basis, they could hardly complain about.

"Nice save," Chloe murmured to him as he passed her one of the vegetable dishes.

"All thanks to the bruised rib you gave me," he returned.

"I'll kiss it better later," Chloe promised faithfully.

"Well, there's an offer I can't refuse," he remarked with a warm twinkle in his eye.

In fact, in truth, he was glad that she had alerted him to his potentially disastrous slip of the tongue, he figured that Chris and Emily had enough parental issues to be going on with for now…

**OOOOOO**

_**Oakenvale Hospital…**_

Chris strode up to the reception counter, his mind only on one thing. "Emily Hargreaves," he demanded with a tinge of rudeness born of concern.

The receptionist, used to dealing with anxious relatives, calmly tapped the name into the computer. "Ward 10," she said. "It's on the fifth floor – just follow the signs and ask at the nurse's station."

"Thanks," Chris said shortly, remembering his ingrained manners at the last minute.

"No problem," the young woman replied in a sunny tone.

Chris nodded at her and then hurried across the reception area towards the elevators. After bouncing anxiously on the balls of his feet for a moment, watching the red numbers descend to everything other than zero, he ducked into the men's restroom and orbed up to an identical cubicle five floors above. Pushing open the door, he followed the signs until he reached the nurse's station for Ward 10.

"Hello, can I help you?" a pink-uniformed nurse asked in a friendly tone as he approached.

"Yeah, I'm here to see Emily Hargreaves," he said, glancing up at the board behind her and quickly locating his girlfriend's name.

"Room 7," he read. "Thanks," he added, then strode off down the corridor without waiting for a reply.

"Excuse me sir, you can't…"

The rest of the sentence didn't register in Chris's brain; he was too focused on the room numbers attached to the blue-painted doors. Room 7 was at the far end of the corridor on the right. He tapped lightly on the door. There was no response so he twisted the handle and cautiously pushed it open. The lights were dimmed to a minimum and the room quiet, save for the steady beep-beep sound from a machine dispensing drugs, or fluids, he wasn't quite sure. He crossed the room to the bed and had to stifle a gasp when he looked down on Emily's sleeping form.

She looked a mess - a mass of Steri-strips held together what looked like claw marks on her cheeks, and her forearms were heavily bandaged, a result of putting her hands up to protect her face, Chris quickly surmised. He pulled up a chair and sat down beside her, then reached out to brush a lock of hair off her forehead. Emily stirred under his tender caress, moaning slightly.

"Mom...," she murmured, sounding druggy and slightly out of it.

"No, it's me… Chris," he said quietly.

Emily slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Hey!" she said softly before her eyes welled with tears. "They said it's going to scar," she said brokenly. "I'm going to be ugly – what about Wyatt and Chloe's wedding photos?"

Chris would have laughed if she weren't so distressed. She was lying in a hospital bed and she was worrying about the wedding photos of all things!

"Baby, you could never be ugly," he told her, "And you're going to be just fine, I promise. When you get out of here, Wyatt or Dad'll heal you and it'll be as if it never happened."

"But Dad won't let them," Emily said in a slurred tone, the after-effects of the pain-killing drugs she'd been given obviously still interfering with her thought processes.

"Emily, you're twenty-three, it's not his decision. And I can't believe his prejudice extends as far as allowing his daughter to suffer when she doesn't have to anyway, despite the fact that he brought you here today instead of calling for Wyatt's help."

Emily seemed to shake off some her drug-induced confusion then and she struggled to sit up. "Chris! Dad… you can't be here!"

Chris gently pushed her back against the pillows. "I'm not going anywhere until I'm sure you're okay," he said stubbornly.

"You don't understand…"

"I understand that I'm not leaving you," Chris said firmly, silencing her with a kiss.

Emily surrendered as she always did when his lips met hers. The truth was, she wanted him here, despite the trouble it was going to cause with her father. Closing her eyes, she responded to his sweet, gentle kisses with ready devotion, allowing all extraneous thought to be driven from her mind. Lost in the warm, tender embrace, neither noticed the sound of approaching footsteps until it was too late…

"What the hell…?"

Emily jerked back from Chris at the sound of her father's exclamation. Looking over at the doorway, she saw him, her Mom, a worried-looking nurse and a security guard standing just inside the entrance.

"Do you want him removing, sir?" the Guard asked.

"No!"

"Yes."

Emily and her Dad said at the same time.

"I said family only," David Hargreaves continued, ignoring his daughter's protest.

"David," Bella intervened. "I think we can resolve this without a public scene, don't you?"

"I made my instructions clear…"

"And you'll overturn them if you still want some sort of relationship with your daughter this time tomorrow," his wife retorted in a strident tone.

There was a tense silence before David reluctantly dismissed the security man and the nurse with a curt wave of his hand.

"You," he said to Chris, the moment the door closed behind them. "You're responsible for this."

"Dad…" Emily started to protest but her father interrupted her.

"I heard what they said, Emily, those… those demons. It was perfectly clear… 'Tell Chris this is a warning,' they said."

"W-what?" Chris said, shooting a horrified look at his girlfriend.

"Oh and now you're sorry," David said before Emily could reply. "Pity you couldn't have thought of the danger you'd be putting her in _before_ you seduced her. That's the trouble with you people, you think you can do anything you want. You conveniently forget that innocent people get caught in the cross-fire while you're appeasing your hormones."

Chris's anger kicked in at that. "I don't know who you think I am," he said hotly, "But this is about more than just sex – I love Emily."

"If you loved her, you'd stay away from her…"

"And I'd be miserable," Emily cut in.

"You'd get over it," David told her dismissively.

His daughter scoffed. "Yeah, like I did after seven months in LA," she commented acidly.

"What?" her father asked in confusion.

Emily shook her head. "Never mind, it doesn't matter. The point is, I wouldn't get over it, Dad," she said. "And this is not Chris's fault."

"Whose fault is it then? I'm sorry, but he has to take responsibility for his actions…"

"David!" Bella cut in sharply, as the situation threatened to spiral out of control. "Chris is not Richard, okay?"

David stared at her in horror. "How dare you speak that man's name? After what he did?"

"Because he's the reason for all of this!" his wife shot back. "Him and Emily – and I think it's time you faced up to that. It tore your family apart at the time. Do you want that to happen all over again? Our daughter deserves to know the truth, David. Emily wouldn't have wanted it this way; you know she wouldn't."

"But I don't know anyone called Richard," Emily said confused. "Do I?" she asked her Mom with a frightened look.

"No honey, you don't. Your Aunt did though."

"M-my Aunt?"

"Your Dad's younger sister."

"I don't understand – he doesn't have a sister."

"I don't now – thanks to people like him," David pointed accusingly at Chris. "And I'm not letting my daughter end up the same way, so you keep away from her, you hear? You and the rest of your infernal family. She's staying in Oakenvale where she belongs, where I can make sure she's safe! I'm not unreasonable, you can have tonight to say goodbye, but I want you gone by tomorrow. And tell Chloe if she goes ahead and marries that brother of yours, then she's never to contact her cousin again!"

With that, Emily's father swept from the room in high dudgeon, slamming the door behind him. Bella dropped her head into her hands with a weary sigh.

"I'm sorry honey," she said. "I shouldn't have let this go on for so long. I think the decision I made at the time was the right one, but it shouldn't have remained that way indefinitely. Your Dad has been bottling up all his pain and anger for years now without any kind of outlet. It was all buried deep inside until you started experimenting with your magic, but ever since then he's slowly been unravelling piece by piece. I haven't really known what to do – I think he has to hit rock bottom before he can see his way out of it."

Emily frowned, still not fully understanding. "I was named after my Aunt?" she asked, attempting to clarify the situation.

Her mother nodded. "Yes."

"And… and she died?"

Bella shook her head. "No, she was killed… by demons. Lazolom demons."

"Jesus!" Chris swore vehemently, quickly understanding what Emily, at present, did not.

"They mutilate their victims, totally disfigure them," Bella explained to her daughter, her expression grave. "And your Dad witnessed the results. That's why he's reacted so violently to your attack today, why he's finally lost all sense of rationality. The similarities are more than he can handle."

Swallowing the hard lump in her throat, Emily covered her mouth with her bandaged hands. "And I've been making it worse," she said tearfully.

"No, no sweetie, you haven't. I don't think he could have kept this in forever; it wasn't healthy for him to. In a way, this is the best thing that could have happened. You're forcing your father to deal with this and that can only be a good thing in the long run."

"You should go and find him."

"He'll be all right – they'll be no talking to him until he calms down, and you deserve an explanation after being kept in the dark for so long."

"But what if he does something stupid?" Emily asked fearfully.

"Honey, he's not suicidal if that's what you're afraid of. His family means everything to him – leaving us would be unthinkable. Don't worry, okay? I know him. He's probably just gone to Kelsey's to have a few beers. As soon as I've explained things to you, I'll go and find him, I promise."

Emily nodded, reassured by her mother's calm attitude. "All right, so who was Richard?"

"Emily's boyfriend," Bella said, her expression darkening in an instant.

"I guessing he wasn't a model citizen?" her daughter enquired.

"He wasn't a criminal or anything like that; he was just extremely reckless. He didn't take his magical responsibilities seriously enough."

"He was a witch?"

"Yes and his stupidity effectively cost your Aunt her life."

"How?"

Bella regarded her daughter steadily for a moment. "I suppose the best place to start is at the beginning," she said.

_**To be continued…**_

* * *

**P.S. I know I haven't explained everything about Emily's Aunt yet, but you will get to hear the full story in the next chapter, I promise...**


	34. Relative Unknown

**UNREQUITED **

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Sorry for the longer than usual gap between updates. I've been very busy over the last couple of weeks so I haven't had all that much free time to write. I also had major problems uploading this document as anyone who left a signed review will know. I've found a way round it thanks to Chrissy from crazyDFFgang. Thanks to everyone else who tried to help as well.

Anyway, with regard to this part : I wrote myself into a bit of a corner with it. It contains a lot of exposition, which disrupts the flow slightly and makes the overall chapter a touch uneventful. I did think of telling the first Emily's story in flashback, but it would have taken too long, so I've left it with Bella Hargreaves telling it to her daughter and Chris as written.

Never fear though, events speed up again in the next chapter…

* * *

**Chapter 34 **

"I was half way through my first year at college when I met Emily Hargreaves – your Aunt," Bella began her story. "She was in my year and, although mortal, was fascinated by all things Wicca - so much so that she resorted to joining the Modern Witch Society."

"You were never a member?" Emily asked her Mom in disbelief.

Bella smiled at her daughter's open-mouthed incredulity. "No, but me and my friends decided to crash a meeting once for a bit of fun. Emily was there and… well, your Aunt was a smart cookie, she realised we were the genuine article even if non of the other members did. She sought me out the very next day. At first, I was a bit wary of her reason for befriending me, but Emily was such a genuine person, you couldn't help liking her."

"Sounds like someone I know," Chris said, throwing a warm, affectionate glance at his girlfriend.

Emily blushed, but Bella nodded in agreement. "Yes, Emily does have the same sort of infectious personality as her Aunt," she said. "Anyway, the two of us quickly became close friends; we had a lot in common and our personalities complemented each other well. Emily had a tendency to be a little bit wild on occasion and me a bit too serious, so together we found a happy medium."

"And what about Dad?" Emily asked, drawn into the story despite its tragic backdrop.

"Patience girl, I'm getting to that," her Mom playfully rebuked her. "Your Aunt invited me to stay with her and her family over the summer that year, and that was when I first met her cute-as-a-button older brother. David was in college out East somewhere – I forget where now. He'd decided to transfer closer to home though - I think the novelty of being as far as possible from his parent's influence had finally worn off. When I discovered he was going to be joining us in the Fall, I couldn't have been happier. I had developed a major crush within a few days of meeting him - I think he probably just thought of me as his sister's annoying friend back then though."

Emily giggled. She'd never heard the specifics of how her parents had met and fallen in love. Now she understood why – the story couldn't have been told without mentioning her namesake. "But he changed his mind," she said.

Bella smiled, her gaze soft with happy remembrance. "By the following summer, yes – that's when our relationship really started to take off. He and Emily were relatively close, being only eighteen months apart, so we often hung out together at college. In the run up to the holidays, your Dad and I had been getting closer – I suppose we were sort of dating in a way, although I don't remember him ever officially asking me out. Anyway, he kissed me for the first time that summer and things developed from there."

"And Aunt Emily was okay with her best friend dating her brother?"

Bella laughed. "Yeah, she was fine with it. Looking back, she was the one who pushed us together. I mean, she knew I liked him and she'd detested the majority of his previous girlfriends - according to her, he had the absolute worst taste in women. I guess she figured she'd select a suitable candidate herself when she learned he'd dumped his latest conquest. Leaving it to chance was far too risky in her opinion."

Emily smiled at her Mom's droll assessment of her Aunt's motives. "And did Dad know you were a witch from the beginning?"

Bella nodded. "Pretty much, yeah. He knew about his sister's magic fixation, and he was much more open-minded back then anyway, so it wasn't such a major deal telling him the truth."

"So what went wrong?" Emily asked softly.

"With your Dad and I, nothing – our relationship went from strength to strength. Your Aunt though…," Bella broke off and sighed. "Emily just didn't know when to stop. It was her greatest failing, I suppose, and her relationship with Richard only made things worse."

"In what way?"

"Well, as I said, your Aunt was completely fascinated with magic. I'd shown her a few things to satisfy her curiosity – simple potions, spells and the like, but I was always careful to shield her from the more potent stuff. Your Dad knew that – I think that's what kept us from falling apart when things got bad…"

Bella stopped and shook her head. "But I'm getting ahead of myself," she said, before returning to the main thread of her story.

"I wasn't particularly involved in the magical community at college, but I did brew potions for my Wiccan friends every once in a while. Richard was one such acquaintance. He showed up once when Emily was there and sparks flew. She was pretty and vivacious - him, handsome and moody – they were the perfect match in that sense. Trouble was he indulged her obsession, got her dabbling in things that she should have steered well clear of. He had no concept of her human mortality. He just didn't seem to get that, as a mortal, she didn't have that sixth sense of imminent danger that most witches have. …"

Bella trailed off and Emily was horrified to note the tears that had filled her mother's eyes. "You don't have to talk about this, Mom," she quickly said.

Bella shook her head. "No, you need to know," she said firmly. "You need to understand. Emily was my best friend, I tried to talk to her but she wasn't having any of it. She just thought I was being my normal, over-cautious self. Richard was exciting to her, you see, and his willingness to involve her in that part of his life only made him all the more attractive. I brought your Dad into it in the end. I thought that he might be able to talk some sense into her. I didn't like doing it, but the situation was getting out of control…"

Bella paused and swallowed a couple of times before digging deep and finding the courage to continue. "It only made things worse though. There was a huge row; she didn't speak to either of us for weeks. We made up in the end, but things were never the same between Emily and me after that. We were still friends, but I'd broken her trust and she couldn't forget that. She didn't confide in me as much as she used to."

"At the same time, she was getting more and more involved with Richard. He started taking her along on demon vanquishes. He and I had endless arguments about that; he just couldn't see why I had a problem with it. He wasn't completely devoid of responsibility however; he did keep her away from the more serious encounters."

"I would say Lazolom demons are pretty serious," Chris remarked sagely, speaking for the first time in a while.

He was slightly uncomfortable being witness to this conversation. It was a private family matter and wasn't really any of his concern. It was something that was causing Emily distress though, and he wanted to be there to support her, so he kept his seat and tried to remain as unobtrusive as possible.

Bella nodded. "Yes – which is why he insisted that she stay behind that time. That was after telling her all about it and making it sound like a huge adrenaline rush first though. As you can imagine, that was like a red flag to a bull to Emily - she waited until after he left and then followed him…"

"So how did Dad end up being there?" Emily asked.

"Because I realised what was going on," her Mom answered. "That afternoon your Aunt had been all excited about this important date she had with Richard that night. I didn't think anything of it until your Dad and I bumped into one of Richard's friends and he mentioned the vanquish. Alarm bells immediately went off in my head. I told David to stay behind, but he refused. She was his sister and he wasn't about to sit back and do nothing when she could be in danger..."

"You were too late though," Emily said, as her mother's narrative stalled, the painful emotions stirrred by reliving these tragic events overwhelming her once again.

Her eyes full to overflowing, Bella nodded. "Emily had been undefended," she continued in a shaky voice, "The others didn't know she was there. Although culpable in some way, I suppose Richard wasn't entirely to blame. He hadn't been dumb enough to take her along; he'd just failed to impress upon her the seriousness of the situation. They vanquished the demons, but nothing could save Emily at that point. It tore the Hargreaves family apart. Hers was a brutal murder and nobody was ever caught or held accountable for it. David couldn't tell his parents the truth so he distanced himself from them. Your Dad essentially lost his entire family that day."

"And he blamed Richard," Emily said, the cuts on her cheeks stinging with the tears that she'd shed for the Aunt that she'd never had the chance to know.

"Along with every other witch and magical being on the planet, yes," Bella said gravely. "Except for me that is," she added after a brief pause.

"Why though?" Emily enquired. "I mean, I would have expected him to blame you too."

"You'd think so, yes, but I don't think your Dad could bear to lose me as well," her mother explained quietly. "We loved each other so much and I was all he had left. When he begged me to turn my back on magic, I agreed without a second thought. I believed him worth the sacrifice, I still do in fact. Our marriage has been very happy for the most part. I have no regrets. If I could turn back time and make that choice again, I wouldn't choose any differently."

Not knowing what to say, Emily reached out and hugged her Mom. "I'm so sorry," she murmured.

Bella returned the embrace and then pulled back and looked her daugher in the eye. "Listen to me though, honey," she said, her expression calmly resolute. "However understandable your Dad's attitude is, you can't let it dictate how you live your life. I shouldn't have allowed his anger and grief to turn into this. We all compromised too much – your Uncle Michael and Aunt Leann included. They agreed to shield you from magic as you were growing up because they wanted you and Chloe to be close. None of us wanted another family ripped apart by Emily's death."

"I guess, given the circumstances, it's understandable that your husband would want to do everything possible to protect Emily from the same fate," Chris remarked.

Bella nodded. "What he doesn't understand is that this is not the same situation," she said. "Unlike her Aunt, Emily is a witch and she has inherited the bulk of my family's power. She has the ability to defend herself where the other Emily didn't. I'm not saying there isn't danger involved in the lifestyle that she's chosen to lead, but that's true of many vocations."

"Being with me does put her in additional danger though," Chris pointed out.

To his surprise, Bella shook her head. "No – I don't see it like that. If you ask me, she's in the safest place she could be. You and your family have the power to protect her where others could not. I might have chosen not to practise magic, but it would be unfair to expect the same from Emily. Magically speaking, we've stifled her all her life – with good reason maybe – but we've held her back all the same…"

"Mom – you can't blame yourself for this," Emily said.

"I don't," Bella assured her. "I let go of that guilt a long time ago. Your Aunt would have done what she wanted regardless of anything I said. I did my best to protect her; I know that. I have been avoiding the situation with your Dad for years though. I guess because it's always been in the background until recently. He needs to face up to things now however - for his own sake as well as yours. He's overcompensating with you because he feels he failed to protect the sister he loved so much. I think, deep down, he knows that."

"I get it now though, Mom," Emily said. "I can…"

"Not let this change anything," Bella cut in. "Knowing the truth will help you understand, but you're not doing him any favours if you let that stop you living your life the way you want to. Your Dad loves you; he'll work it out eventually. It's just going to take some time, patience and honesty from all of us. And besides, Emily'd be horrified if she thought her niece had turned her back on magic because of her."

"Mom!" Emily said, smiling through her tears.

"Well, it's true," Bella said. "I think it's about time we started remembering her with joy rather than sorrow. We named you after her for a reason, you know. She was a special person, whom we both loved, and I know she would have adored you."

"And she sure as hell wouldn't have stood for her brother trying to come between you and Chris," she continued, smiling warmly at the two of them. "Your Dad would be in for such a lecture if she were here now, I can tell you."

Emily laughed. "She sounds really cool."

"Yeah, probably too cool," her Mom said resignedly, "Although I suppose she would have grown up eventually given the chance."

"Please don't think too ill of your Dad though, sweetie," she went on, tenderly stroking her daughter's hair off her cut and bruised face. "I can't promise an immediate turnaround in his attitude, but I think now that the truth is out, things will change. I've spent over half my life with this man. He's not a bad person and he's absolutely devoted to his family. All he wants is for you to be happy and healthy, you know."

"Mom, I know," Emily said in a choked voice.

Bella bent and kissed her forehead. "You need to get some sleep," she said softly. "And I should go and find your Dad before he retreats back behind that wall of denial of his. Today's events have been a shock to the system for him. I think we've actually made some real progress for once. He was talking openly about your Aunt for the first time in a long while when we were up in the hospital canteen earlier."

"I hope my presence hasn't gotten in the way of that," Chris said apologetically.

Bella sighed. "I thought it had the potential to," she told him, "Which is why I asked Chloe if you would wait until morning before visiting."

"Oh," Chris said, looking instantly contrite. "She didn't really have a chance to tell me that. I just…" he broke off and looked over at Emily.

Bella smiled, talking about her past had reminded her what it was like to be newly in love, to be oblivious to everything other than the person you cared about. Chris could hardly be blamed for rushing to Emily's side in the way that he had.

"I don't think you did any real harm," she assured him. "In fact, you may have even helped things along a bit. David is not stupid, he'll have realised how ridiculous his outburst sounded by now. Emily is a grown woman; he can't force her to stay, or wrap her up in cotton wool for the rest of her life either."

"It's not how I would have liked for us to be introduced though," Chris said regretfully.

"No, I don't suppose it is," Bella said. "Just remember it's nothing personal. He just can't see beyond your magical roots. To him, you're another Richard, and therefore nothing but a danger to his little girl."

"But that's so unfair!" Emily burst out in frustration.

"Honey, I know," her Mom said. "And don't worry, I'll be telling him exactly that. I just don't want you to get your hopes up. Your Dad has a lot of issues to work through and I don't know whether he'll ever completely get over all of them. While I'm sure, in time, he'll learn to accept your relationship; he may never welcome it. You ought to be prepared for that."

Knowing this to be a possibility, Emily looked wistfully over at Chris and he instinctively reached out and took her hand, squeezing her fingers in silent empathy.

"I know I have no right to expect it," Bella continued quietly, "But I hope it's something that you can see your way to compromise over if it ever comes to that. I'm not saying it will – once your Dad's able to see past his inner demons, it might not even be an issue. But if it is…" She stopped and sighed.

"Mom," Emily said gently. "I'm not going to make any guarantees – it all depends on Dad's attitude - but I will try, I promise."

"That's all I ask," her Mom said heavily before forcibly shaking herself out of her melancholy. "But let's not be so pessimistic, hey?"

"No," her daughter agreed. "We should have more faith in Dad than that. Tell him I love him when you see him, okay? And that I'm sorry about Aunt Emily."

"I will," her Mom promised, "I'll try to persuade him to come and talk to you too, although it might be better for Chris not to be here when that happens. Let's just take this one step at a time."

Emily nodded.

"I'm going to stay here tonight though, if that's all right?" Chris said then. "If Emily's attack was some sort of warning to me, then she needs to be protected until I find out who's behind it."

"Which is why David is so very wrong to compare you to Richard," Bella said.

"What happened to him anyway?" Emily asked, suddenly realising that this part of the jigsaw puzzle was still missing.

"Your Aunt's death changed him. I don't think he saw her as 'the one' but he loved her in his own way. It taught him responsibility in a way nothing else could. I don't know where he is now, but something tells me that he's still trying to make up for encouraging her obsession in the way that he did. I think he'll have her death on his conscience for the rest of his life."

"Talk about learning a lesson the hard way," Emily remarked sadly.

Bella nodded. "I suppose," she agreed. "Although I'm afraid it's difficult for me to feel any real sympathy for him, not when he totally undermined everything that I tried to teach Emily about magic not being something to take lightly. Your Aunt had a reckless streak, granted, but she wasn't stupid. She was just naive. It was a classic case of 'cry wolf' – Richard had spent so long telling her that she was safe with him, that I was making a lot of fuss about nothing, that when it came to a really dangerous situation, she didn't take his warnings seriously enough and ended up walking blindly into her death."

Hearing the underlying bitterness in her Mom's tone, Emily simply nodded and didn't comment any further. She could never really know what had gone on between her parents, her Aunt and her boyfriend, so it wasn't for her to pass judgement now. Theirs was a tragic situation that had ricocheted throughout all their lives. They were all victims in a way, some more than others were maybe, but each had been irrecoverably altered by the first Emily's death.

Bella rose to her feet. "Get some rest," she instructed as she headed for the door. "I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure Mom. Good night."

Bella smiled at her daughter, nodded at Chris and then quietly left the room, leaving the young couple to ponder the implications of what they had just heard. They were silent for a while – Emily absorbing her tragic family history; Chris, his eyes focused on his girlfriend's face, waiting for her to give him an indication that she was ready to talk. Finally, she turned to look at him, the expression in her cobalt-blue eyes grave but also strangely relieved.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, reaching out and curling his fingers around hers.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Emily said in a hushed tone. "I know it was a tragic thing – my Aunt dying in those circumstances - but knowing the truth helps somehow. This past year and a half with my Dad – it was as if he was personally rejecting me, and that hurt so much. Now I know that he does love me, even if he has gotten everything twisted around inside his head."

Chris nodded. "So you think he can get past this?" he asked.

Emily sighed. "Mom obviously thinks so, and she knows him better than anyone so I have to trust in that."

"Me being around is not going to make things easy," Chris pointed out.

"I know," Emily said, "But that's just something we're going to have to deal with. Being with you is non-negotiable as far as I'm concerned."

"Nice to hear," Chris said with a smile before he leaned forward to kiss her.

"And that's why!" Emily said breathlessly when they broke apart.

Chris chuckled. "Careful or I'll think you only want me for one thing," he said, echoing her own comment from a few days before.

"And what's wrong with that?" his girlfriend asked teasingly.

Chris lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her knuckles, then sighed heavily, his expression turning uncharacteristically pensive.

"What's the matter?" Emily asked, quickly sensing his change in mood.

"This doesn't make any sense," he said worriedly.

Emily's brow furrowed in confusion. "What doesn't?" she asked.

"Why you were attacked," Chris explained. "Things have been pretty quiet on the demon front lately, and this was a direct warning to me - which is kind of odd."

"Why?"

"I'm not usually seen as a threat," Chris told her with a shrug of his shoulders. "Not in relation to Wyatt anyway."

"Maybe it has something to do with the wedding?" Emily suggested. "You've been helping Wyatt look into that, haven't you?"

Chris nodded. "Yes, but this doesn't match any of those demons's M.O," he said as he lightly touched her injured face with his fingertips.

"Maybe they hired others to do it for them. You know, like when that Mazesh demon went after me when I first moved to San Francisco."

Chris let out a short, derisive laugh. "What? Get someone else to do their dirty work when the whole point of disrupting the wedding is to make a name for themselves?"

"It's a possibility!" Emily protested.

"Maybe," Chris conceded with an incline of his head, "But an unlikely one. No, this is about something else. Trouble is, I have no idea what." He sighed. "Maybe your Dad's right. Maybe it's safer if you stay away from me."

"You don't think that," Emily said.

"Oh, I think it," Chris said gravely. "I'm just too selfish to walk away from something this good."

Emily glowed at the quietly given compliment. "You deserve love as much as the next person, Chris," she told him. "If you let them get away with these tactics, you let them win."

"But you'd be safe."

"Not necessarily," she disagreed. "I have spent a long time searching for some real purpose to my life. Coming to San Francisco, meeting and helping you and Wyatt has finally given me that. This is who I am, Chris. I would carry on with my magic regardless of whether we're together or not. Better with you than without you, I say."

Chris smiled, coaxed out of his bout of self-recrimination by her calm, matter-of-factness. "Well, I can't argue with that," he said.

Emily nodded in satisfaction. "Good," she said, and then yawned as a wave of weariness overtook her. It had been a long, trying day.

"You need to get some rest," Chris told her.

"So do you," Emily returned, "You're gonna end up with back-ache in that," she added, indicating the straight-backed chair he was sitting in.

"I'll be fine," he assured her.

"There's room enough for two," Emily said, patting the bed beside her in invitation.

"Hardly," Chris replied, eyeing the narrow hospital bed with scepticism.

Emily pouted. "You have no imagination," she accused, knowing exactly which buttons to press to get him to do what she wanted.

Never one to turn down a challenge, Chris reacted true-to-form. Tugging off his sneakers, he pushed back his chair and rose to his feet. "We need to spoon," he decided after a quick assessment of their dilemma. "Can you turn over?"

Smiling triumphantly to herself, Emily rolled over onto her side, wincing slightly as the movement tugged at the row of stitches closing up a claw wound just under her ribs. She felt the bed dip as Chris joined her and then the warmth of his body-heat spread across her back. Mindful of her injuries and the drip in the back of her hand, he carefully curled his body around hers, his left palm resting lightly against her belly and his right arm cushioning her head.

"See - I told you there was enough room for two," she murmured drowsily as his warm breath pleasantly tickled the back of her neck.

"Don't think I don't know that I've just been played," he responded in a low tone.

"Well, if you weren't so easy to manipulate…" she retorted, her eyes fluttering closed.

"I'm not," Chris said, lifting his head off the pillow to speak quietly in her ear. She could hear the smile in his voice. "I just let you get away with it."

He pressed his lips to the side of her neck before lying back down and closing his eyes. Emily was asleep within minutes, but it took Chris a lot longer to drift off. The difficult situation with her father he could handle, but the reason for this attack concerned him more than he cared to admit.

What had they meant? 'Tell Chris this is a warning.' A warning of what exactly?

**OOOOOO **

**_Kelsey's Bar, Oakenvale… _**

"Hey Tim," Bella greeted the bar's owner. "He here?"

"Over there," Tim told her, nodding towards a booth in the corner. "He said something about Emily being in the hospital – is she all right?"

Bella nodded. "Yeah, she'll be fine. It's nothing too serious. How many has he had?" she asked, returning to the subject of her husband. David wasn't a huge drinker, but he occasionally went over the top when he was feeling low.

"That's his first," Tim replied, his answer a welcome surprise. "He's been nursing it for at least an hour. Can I get you anything?"

Bella shook her head. "No, I'm fine thanks," she said and then made her way over to where her husband had sequestered himself. She slid into the seat opposite him and waited for him to acknowledge her presence.

"You told her?" David asked, keeping his eyes on the table.

"She needed to know. I was hoping that you'd be the one to explain, but it had gotten to the point where I couldn't stand by and watch her suffer anymore."

This got her husband's attention. "S-suffer?" he queried with a stutter, quickly raising his gaze to her face.

Bella nodded. "You've been so wrapped up in your own pain, David; you haven't been able to see what this has been doing to Emily. Disapproving of her using magic is one thing, but the way you've been treating her because of it… You're her father and you can hardly bring yourself to look at her, let alone speak to her."

"I just want to keep her safe," her husband insisted.

"I know," Bella said gently, "But this is not the way. You can't make her choices for her, David. She's not a little girl anymore. She's a grown woman who has to be allowed to find her own path in life."

"And look what that got my sister – a life ended before it even had the chance to properly begin."

"But she's not your sister, David. I hate to criticize, because you know I loved her, but your sister had a reckless streak as wide as a freeway. Our daughter is stubborn yes, wilful true, but she has a lot better sense of her own mortality. That, and she's a witch, a powerful one at that, given the way her powers have developed in such a short space of time."

"She couldn't protect herself today though, could she?" David retorted stubbornly.

"She wasn't doing so bad," Bella contradicted. "She got hurt because we were taken by surprise, but she quickly got her act together. You didn't miss how she TK'd that demon away from her, did you? I swear I've never managed to TK anything with that much force in my life. She mentioned that Chris had been teaching her how to focus her power more effectively, but I didn't realise that she'd improved that much."

"How can you be so accepting of this, Bella?"

"I may have turned my back on magic, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate all the good that can be achieved by it."

"That doesn't change the fact that it's dangerous."

"No, but then so are many other things in life. You minimise the risk by taking appropriate safety measures. For your sister, as a mortal, that should have meant steering clear of magic altogether. In our daughter's case, it means learning how to properly control her powers and defend herself. She's doing good things with her life, David. We should be proud of her."

"It doesn't concern you at all?" David pressed.

"Of course it does. She's my baby, but I know I can't stop her from doing this if it's what she really wants. I'm just glad that she's surrounded by people who won't put her in a situation that she can't handle. It gives me peace of mind."

"I take it that boy's still with her then?"

"Yes, 'that boy' is still with her. He wouldn't be very worthy of our girl if he let your little temper tantrum put him off, now would he?"

"I still don't like it, Bella."

"Well, I'm afraid you're just gonna have to learn to accept it," his wife told him harshly, "Because he's around to stay. Emily is reaching the stage where she wants more from her relationships. It's no longer about simply having fun. It's about finding someone to share the rest of her life with."

"And you think this boy is it?"

"I think it's very early days, so impossible to tell for sure, but Chris ticks all the right boxes if you ask me. It would be a mistake to try to come between them. Besides, he's a nice boy and they're clearly in love. Open your eyes, David, and you'll see how happy he makes her. Isn't that what you want for our daughter? For her to be happy?"

David sighed, all the resistance suddenly going out of him. "I'm fighting a losing battle here, aren't I?"

"You just need to approach the situation from a different angle that's all. You need to separate Emily your sister, from Emily your daughter - and Richard from every other male witch on the planet."

Bella reached across the table and took his hands in hers. "David, I love you. Emily loves you – she told me to tell you that by the way – but we can't go on like this. You need to talk to someone – you've been bottling up your grief for far too long. I can find someone suitable if you let me – someone who you can be open and honest with. You also need to make a proper effort with Emily. Nobody expects an overnight resolution, but you need to meet her halfway on this. I think, in some ways, it's the unknown that scares you the most anyway. You might find that the reality isn't as bad as you think."

Biting his bottom lip, David nodded. "It was just this afternoon – seeing her covered in blood like that…"

"I know, it took me straight back to that night too. But she's okay; she's going to be fine."

"She'll be scarred for life, Bella."

"No – I don't think so. Wyatt will heal her when she gets out of the hospital, I'm sure of it."

"He could have done that this afternoon, couldn't he?"

"Yes, but I don't think any real damage was done. It brought our family situation to a head and we really needed that."

"You have the patience of a saint, you know that?" David remarked wryly.

"Yeah well, I'm a sucker for punishment," Bella replied with a smile, feeling more positive than she had in months. It had been difficult stuck in the middle between her beloved husband and daughter.

"You promise you'll talk to someone?" she asked, needing to hear that commitment from his own lips.

Her husband nodded. "I promise."

"Oh and there's one more thing…"

"What's that?"

"'That boy' has a name. Use it."

David laughed despite himself. It had been the most difficult thing in the world to admit that he needed help, but now that he had, he felt like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The painful journey wasn't over yet, but the road ahead no longer seemed so daunting, or so lonely. He had hated being at odds with his wife and estranged from his daughter, but until today, he hadn't realised how his own behaviour had contributed to that. All he had been able to act upon was the desperate need to protect his little girl from harm.

"All right," he agreed. "But I'm still reserving judgement," he added with a hint of warning in his tone.

Bella threw him a warm, genuine smile. "Oh, I wouldn't expect anything less. You are her father after all. It's your job to make sure he comes up to scratch. Just give him a proper chance, okay? He deserves that."

David nodded. "I'll try," he said, although he didn't think it was going to be easy. This boy… sorry, Chris might very well be a pleasant enough young man, but he was still the reason that Emily had been attacked today; there was no getting away from that.

"Good," Bella said, sitting back and picking up her purse from the bench alongside her. "Now, I think it's about time we went home, don't you? It's been a long day."

**OOOOOO **

**_The following morning… _**

"Wow!" Chloe said, after Emily had finished bringing her up to date on their previously unknown family history. "I mean I knew there must be something, but I never expected anything like this. Poor Uncle David – no wonder he's so..."

She left her statement hanging but her cousin easily managed to fill in the rest. "I know," she said quietly. "Maybe now the truth is out, he can finally start to heal though. The way Mom tells it, it's been eating him up inside for years now and that can't be good."

Chloe looked over to where her fiancé and his younger brother were conversing in low tones on the other side of the room. "Did he really tell Chris he wanted him gone by today?" she asked.

Her cousin nodded. "Yeah, and that you weren't to contact me again if you went ahead and married Wyatt. He wasn't exactly rational at the time though, so I'm not taking it too seriously."

"So what will you do if he is serious?"

Emily sighed. "I'm trying not to think about that to be honest," she admitted. "I have to give Dad some leeway, given the circumstances, but…"

"You're not giving up Chris for anything," Chloe finished for her.

"No," Emily agreed with a soft smile. "Nor you, for that matter. I just hope that Dad can see his way to a compromise. I don't want to make things worse for Mom. She's kind of stuck in the middle right now and she doesn't deserve that."

Chloe was about to reply but a knock on the door interrupted her. The handle turned and Emily's parents entered. There was an awkward silence as the six occupants of the room registered each other's presence…

"Breakfast!" Chris suddenly said, his voice sounding loud in the still quiet of the room. "I'll umm, go… err, breakfast."

He stopped and looked appealingly at his brother, who quickly took the hint. "I might join you actually, seeing as _someone,_" he looked affectionately at Chloe, "Made me orb here this morning without any."

"You had some toast," Chloe immediately retorted.

"Yeah, like that's going to sustain me until lunchtime," Wyatt replied with a roll of his eyes. "I'm a growing boy, you know."

"You don't have to go," Emily said quietly as Chris bent to kiss her farewell.

"I think I should," he replied. "You need to talk to your Dad and I'll be in the way. I'll be back later okay? Call me if you need anything."

Emily nodded and stole another kiss from him before he straightened up and turned towards the door. There was an awkward moment as he passed her father but to her relief, her Dad didn't say anything. Instead, he silently acknowledged his daughter's boyfriend with a slight incline of his head, a gesture which Chris accepted with a brief nod before he left, closely followed by Wyatt and also Chloe, who had decided that it was probably best if she made herself scarce as well.

As the door closed behind them, Emily's stomach tightened in anxiety. She really didn't know what to expect. It was crazy; this was her father but it was as if he was a stranger somehow. A quick look at her Mom told her that her fears were generally unfounded though. She looked more relaxed than she had in weeks. She turned her gaze on her Dad then, her eyes hesitantly meeting his.

Her father's expression was no longer the shuttered one she'd come to expect in recent months. The emotional turmoil clearly showed on his face and he had a haunted look in his eyes that made her want to cry. She felt a wave of love and sympathy for him and instinctively lifted her arms. He leaned forward and hugged her, stroking her hair as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice low and scratchy with emotion.

"Me too," she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too, honey."

They held each other for a long moment and then broke apart. David looked like he was going to say something, but then faltered and instead glanced over at his wife. Pulling up a chair to the bedside, Bella sat down.

"Your Dad has agreed to talk to someone," she told Emily, who nodded.

"That's good."

David looked over at his daughter. "You're not going to change your mind, are you?" he asked in a resigned tone.

"David…," Bella warned.

"It's okay, Mom," Emily interrupted and then turned to address her father. "No Dad, you're right. I'm not going to change my mind. This is… it's part of me, you know. I make a difference – not as much as Wyatt and Chris obviously – but I help and I'm proud of that. It fulfils me in a way nothing else has."

"And this… Chris?"

"He's not the reason, Dad. I was experimenting with my magic before I met him. I just wasn't getting very far with it. I think I would have cracked it eventually though so it's not fair to blame him. This is my choice."

"You were attacked yesterday because of him though, Emily."

"That's not his fault. He's a good guy, Dad. He and his family… they've prevented so many deaths like Aunt Emily's. And he teaches at Magic School…"

"Magic School?"

"Yes, his Dad is the headmaster there. It's a school where magical children are taught how to use their powers responsibly. Chris teaches a mixture of first, second and third grade classes."

Emily sighed and looked her father directly in the eye. "I… I love him. Please give him a chance. Not all witches are the same, you know. You'd see that if you got to know him properly. I know it isn't easy for you, but you have to at least try to make an effort. It's not fair to punish him for Richard's mistakes."

"We discussed this last night, David," his wife reminded him.

"I know, it's just…," he broke off and sighed. "I know I have blinkers on," he said wearily, "But I've worn them for so long…"

"Dad," Emily cut in. "I understand how the circumstances of Aunt Emily's death must have affected you, and I know it's going to take time for you to come to terms with all of that. I just need you to accept that this is my life, to live how I want, and that Chris isn't responsible for everything bad that may – or may not - happen to me. We can work on you liking it – and him - later."

Her father was silent for a long moment. "All right," he said eventually. "I can do that."

"Good," Emily said with a smile. "I take it that means I'm allowed to get on the plane back to San Francisco when I get out of here then," she added cheekily.

Her Dad looked at her steadily for a second and then ruefully returned her smile. "All right so the ultimatum was a bit over the top," he admitted.

"No kidding!" Emily replied, a merry twinkle in her eye. The big wall of miscommunication between her and her father had finally come tumbling down so she felt comfortable enough to banter with him again.

David shook his head. "You're so like your Aunt sometimes," he said.

"And is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It's a worrying thing."

"I'm not her, Dad. I'm me."

Her father nodded. "I know," he said in quiet reflection.

Emily reached out and squeezed his hand encouragingly. "We'll get through this," she assured him.

"I hope so," he replied.

"Well, I know so and so does Mom, don't you, Mom?"

Bella nodded. "Yep."

"And of course your mother's always right," David quipped, his mood buoyed by the same sense of relief that was currently unravelling the persistent knot of tension that had resided in his daughter's stomach for the past year and a half. "So we can't argue with that."

Emily laughed as her Mom cuffed her Dad upside the head. She knew they still had a long way to go, but she was confident that they would make it through. With any luck, her father and Chris might become friends yet…

**_To be continued… _**

* * *

**A/N2: **I didn't want to make Emily's Dad a complete villian, just someone who had a lot of emotional issues to deal with. Despite how it appears, he isn't immediately going to be fine with Chris btw, although it's probably not something I'm going to explore too much more with this story. I have a sequel planned so I might deal with it more then. 

**P.S**. For anyone who has similar problems, I got around my uploading problem by creating a small .txt document with Notepad and uploading that instead. I then pasted the Chapter text from Word into the Edit/Preview window and saved it. It just wasn't (and still isn't) uploading Word documents at the moment.


	35. Recital Confrontations

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Nice long chapter for you, mainly because I couldn't find a suitable place to put the chapter break! Just as well, I guess, seeing as it's taken me ages to update. Sorry, but real life has been extremely busy just lately and I haven't had much time to write :-(

Anyway, on with the show: Last time (if you can remember that far back!), Emily was attacked by demons while she was visiting her parents in Oakenvale, demons that left a warning for Chris…

**

* * *

Chapter 35 **

_**Friday evening, four days later…**_

Emily glanced impatiently at her watch. "Chloe! If you don't hurry up, we'll be late."

"All right, all right," her cousin said, bustling in from the bedroom. "I'm ready."

"Well finally!" Emily said with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "What took you so long anyway? We're going to a recital at Magic School not a play on Broadway."

"Right, so you didn't stand in front of the mirror for an hour deciding what to wear then," Chloe retorted knowingly.

"That's different," Emily told her dismissively. "You haven't got to bite your tongue and be civil to the woman who tried to sink her talons into your boyfriend all evening."

"No, I'm just going to my first official function as Wyatt's soon-to-be wife," Chloe said. "Have you any idea what kind of people will be attending this recital? It's important that I make a good impression."

"Speaking of which - you don't think this outfit is a bit too casual?" she asked worriedly. She was wearing a summery, pastel-hued A-line skirt, and a simple, short-sleeved top of the palest coral pink. "Maybe I should have gone for a more formal look."

"Chloe, relax okay? You look great as usual and it's not as if it's a formal banquet or anything. It's just proud parents coming to watch their kids perform badly for the sake of entertainment – well, that's according to Chris anyway."

Chloe laughed. "I'm sure they're not all bad," she said.

"Well, there's only one way to find out, isn't there?" Emily replied. "Shall we go?"

Chloe nodded and together they recited the spell that would transport them to Magic School. Stepping through the enchanted door, they emerged halfway down the long central corridor, which was teaming with people waiting to take their seats in the auditorium at the far end.

"Come on, let's find Chris and Wyatt," Emily said, hooking her arm through her cousin's so that they weren't separated.

Wending their way through the milling crowd in search of their respective beaus, they eventually made it though into the auditorium. Here, they parted company - Chloe to join Wyatt, who was standing nearby talking to Piper and a middle-aged couple neither of them recognised, and Emily heading backstage to find Chris. She discovered him standing by himself in the wings, gazing out over the darkened stage, his mind obviously on the forthcoming performance.

"Hey!" she said, wrapping her arms around his waist from behind and resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Hey!" he said, tilting his head back to kiss her a brief hello. "You made it then."

"Looks like," Emily replied. "So is everything ready?"

"As much as it's ever gonna be, I guess," Chris replied, a nervous tremor evident in his voice. "It's chaos back there – I escaped for a bit of much-needed peace and quiet. Dad's giving the kids the obligatory pep talk - you know the 'do yourselves and the school proud' kind of thing."

Emily nodded. "So, how do I look?" she asked, moving around in front of him and giving him a twirl to show off her outfit.

Like her cousin, she was dressed relatively simply in a figure-hugging white vest-top and floaty peacock-blue and white patterned skirt. There was no sign of her recent injuries - Wyatt had healed her shortly after her discharge from the hospital a couple of days before. Her skin was therefore as smooth and unblemished as it had always been, save for a smattering of freckles across her nose, a feature that she'd always hated but that Chris had described as cute when she'd mentioned this to him.

"Sexy," Chris pronounced with a roguish grin. "Dressing to impress, are we?"

"Well, wouldn't you like to know?" Emily returned archly as he curled an arm around her waist and tugged her towards him.

"Actually, I couldn't really care less," he joked, smiling down into her upturned face as she wound her arms around his neck.

"Well, that's just too bad," Emily shot back playfully, "Because you might have discovered something to your advantage if you did."

"Oh, is that right?"

Leaning in close so that they were practically nose-to-nose, Emily smiled coyly into his twinkling eyes. "What do you think?" she asked in a hushed tone.

Tenderly brushing the backs of his fingers over the swell of her cheek and down the side of her neck, Chris's only answer was to bridge the gap between them and firmly press his mouth against her waiting lips…

"AHEM!"

Jumping apart as if they'd been stung, Chris and Emily broke off their embrace to find Patty, Paige's eldest daughter, standing close by, her hands on her hips and her eyebrows raised to her hairline.

"Well, it's a good thing Uncle Leo sent me to get you, _Mr Halliwell,_" she told her cousin pointedly. "Cus it would have been quite a shock for someone else to find their teacher making out with his girlfriend like they were about to…"

"Yes, I think we get the point," Chris said, cutting her off mid-sentence.

"I mean, it's icky enough to witness as your cousin, imagine if…"

"Patty – I said we get the point!" Chris repeated sharply, his annoyance level rising exponentially.

The young witch proceeded to push her luck however. "Christopher and Emily up a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…" she sang.

"PATTY!"

"Is there a problem?" Leo's mild question interrupted the warring cousins.

"Please say I'm allowed to kill her," Chris lamented to his father as, still singing, the teenager turned on her heel and disappeared back stage, her ponytail swinging side to side like a pendulum as she went.

Leo suppressed a smile with obvious difficulty. "Hello Emily," he greeted his son's girlfriend.

"Hi!" Emily said, her cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. "I'm sorry – I guess we weren't thinking…"

"Obviously," Leo replied good-humouredly. "No harm done however."

"Although perhaps you should try to keep your behaviour appropriate to the occasion in future," he added, throwing a look of mild censure at his son.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry," Chris said apologetically before flashing his Dad a wide, toothy grin. "It's just that she's so difficult to resist sometimes."

"Chris!" Emily exclaimed, her face turning the colour of a ripe tomato so that it closely matched the fiery hue of her hair.

Leo chuckled as he turned towards the steps that led out to the front of the auditorium. "Curtain up in ten minutes," he told them over his shoulder.

"Yeah okay," Chris replied.

"I guess that's my cue to take my seat," Emily said after Leo had left. Cupping her boyfriend's face between her hands, she stood on her tiptoes and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. "Break a leg, director guy."

"Thanks," Chris replied with a grimace. "With this unruly rabble, I think I'm going to need all the luck I can get. It'll be a minor miracle if everything goes smoothly."

"It'll be fine," she assured him. "And even if it isn't, it doesn't matter. Those blooper moments are usually the best bit of any school recital anyway."

Chris laughed at this wry observation. "Aren't they just," he agreed whole-heartedly. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"Sure. Bye!"

She waved at him and then disappeared out of sight. Drawing in a deep, calming breath, Chris squared his shoulders and went to meet his fate…

**OOOOOO**

_**An hour later…**_

From his hidden position in the wings, Chris gazed contemplatively out at the audience. He could only make out the faces in the front two rows and he felt a sudden chill run through him as his eyes fell on one particularly familiar one. Surely not…

"Chris!" his brother's voice hissed urgently at him and he jumped.

Wyatt was standing nearby with a small group of scared-looking sixth grade students, the next act due on stage and the last one before the intermission. Ushering them forward, Chris waited for their cue and then sent them out into the bright lights for their five minutes of fame.

"What's the matter?" Wyatt asked when his brother's gaze returned to its previous study.

"Bianca," Chris said shortly.

"Surely you knew she'd be here tonight. Her cousin Lily's in the tenth grade, isn't she?"

"It's not that. I… You don't think…" Chris stopped and shook his head. "No, no, she wouldn't."

"She wouldn't what?"

"Have ordered the attack on Emily," Chris replied.

"Why would she do that?" Wyatt asked.

His brother turned and looked steadily at him and Wyatt sighed. "Oh, all right so she has motive, but you don't really think she'd go that far, do you?"

"No, not really," Chris said, feeling ashamed for even thinking it. "It's just so frustrating not knowing who's responsible!" he burst out a second later. "I'm getting so paranoid; I'm looking for suspects everywhere I go."

"Chris, you've looked into every possible lead and put as much protection in place for Emily as you can," Wyatt said calmly. "There's nothing more you can do right now."

"That's easy for you to say," his brother snapped back irritably. "All you seem to be bothered about at present is whether your wedding goes smoothly or not."

"That isn't true," Wyatt said, his tone suddenly hard. "You know it isn't."

"Do I?" Chris shot back, his green eyes glittering with accusation. "It's not as if you've been helping me with this, is it? You've been too busy dealing with your own issues."

"And what do you expect me to do when there's nothing concrete to go on?" Wyatt demanded. "I'm not a miracle worker, you know."

"Well, what's the point of being Mr All-Powerful then?" Chris retorted belligerently.

"Will you two keep your voices down?" Leo said sternly, orbing in beside his sons. "You're starting to attract attention. What's the problem anyway?"

"Nothing," Chris said shortly. "Forget it."

Pushing past his father and brother, he vanished back stage. Leo watched him go and then turned to look enquiringly at his eldest son.

"He's freaking out over Emily," Wyatt explained with a shrug. "And he thinks I'm not helping enough, that I'm more concerned about the wedding."

"Are you?"

"Dad!" Wyatt protested.

"You have got everyone working around the clock on it, Wyatt," his father pointed out.

"And you think I wouldn't tell them to stop if we found out who had attacked Emily?"

"Of course not. I just think you need to be a bit more aware of where your focus is. I know Chris is coming up with nothing new where the attack on Emily is concerned, but that's not a reason to stop looking into it. I appreciate it's difficult when you could be doing something more constructive but…"

"All right, all right, I get the point," Wyatt cut in. "You can save the lecture."

"Wyatt," his father chastised.

"I'm sorry – I just resent the inference that I care more about the wedding than I do about Emily."

"I don't think anyone thinks that – Chris included. He's just scared is all. An enemy unknown is always the most frightening kind."

"That's not an excuse to take it out on me," Wyatt said, annoyed that he'd been made the scapegoat in all of this.

"Who else is he going to take it out on, Wyatt? You're his brother, his closest friend. Isn't that what family and friendship is all about? Accepting the rough as well as the smooth?"

Wyatt sighed. "I guess," he agreed reluctantly.

Leo reached out and squeezed his shoulder encouragingly. "Just think about how you'd feel if it were Chloe," he advised.

Wyatt nodded, knowing he'd probably be lashing out left, right and centre too. The audience erupted into applause then, causing them to turn their attention back to events on stage and away from their conversation.

"You better go and do your headmaster thing," Wyatt said, as the group of sixth-grade students hurried past them, chattering excitedly amongst themselves now that their stage fright had worn off.

Leo nodded and then strode out onto the stage to announce the intermission. Letting out a deep sigh, Wyatt turned on his heel and went in search of his brother…

**OOOOOO**

_**The Ladies Washroom…**_

"Did you know Bianca was going to be here?" Chloe asked, as she exited the cubicle and went over to the row of sinks to wash her hands.

"No," Emily replied. She was standing in front of the mirror, pulling a brush through her hair. "Doesn't she have a cousin at school here though?"

Chloe frowned thoughtfully as she uncapped her lipstick and applied a fresh coat. "Yeah, I do remember her mentioning something to that effect, come to think of it."

Emily nodded. "Well, I can hardly expect her to stay away then, can I?" she said.

Returning her brush to her purse, she fluffed her hair with her fingers and then gave her reflection a satisfied nod. "Okay, I'm done. You ready?"

Chloe adjusted the clip holding her long, heavy mane of blonde hair off her face and then nodded. "Yep – let's go."

The two witches turned to leave, but were halted in their tracks when the door opened and Heather entered, accompanied by a young woman of a similar age – her sister judging by the uncanny physical resemblance between the pair of them.

Chloe felt Emily tense beside her and the atmosphere turned distinctly chilly. "Emily, come on – let's go," she urged her cousin.

At first, it seemed that Emily was going to abide by her suggestion but as she stepped around her rival, she fixed the tall, beautiful witch with a frosty glare and told her stonily, "Stay away from him, okay?"

Heather didn't immediately respond but then her voice rang out as the two cousins reached the door. "Only if he wants me to," she said, prompting her female companion to laugh cruelly.

"EMILY!" Chloe made a grab for her cousin as the volatile redhead whipped around, her eyes blazing with anger.

"Come on – she's not worth it," she said, restraining her apoplectic cousin forcibly by the arm. "You're above this. Chris loves you, you know he does. She doesn't have a hope in hell."

Dredging up some hidden reserves of willpower from deep within, Emily forced herself to listen to the voice of reason and allowed Chloe to drag her from the room. "Chris said she'd apologised!" she exploded once they'd left.

"Well maybe she did," Chloe replied, "To him at least anyway. Ignore her, okay? She was just trying to provoke you."

"Well, it worked," Emily said stormily, her hands clenching and unclenching by her sides in agitation.

"Yeah well, you never did know how to control your temper," Chloe said glibly. "Look at it this way," she went on. "Right now, you're reacting exactly the way she wants. Do you really want to give her that satisfaction?"

"Definitely not," Emily responded hotly.

"Well then," Chloe said, shooting her fuming cousin a pointed look and coaxing a reluctant smile out of her in the process.

"Do you have to always be right?" Emily complained as her anger slowly subsided to a faint, underlying simmer.

"It's a gift," Chloe quipped offhandedly. "Seriously though – she's no threat to you unless you make her one. If you hold your head up high and rise above it, she'll be forced to crawl back under her rock eventually."

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Emily replied. "Why do I get the impression she's not going to give up that easily though?"

"Because you're paranoid."

"Yeah well, that's what you think. Me? I'm not so sure."

_**Back in the bathroom…**_

"So that's what you're up against, is it? She doesn't seem like much of an obstacle."

Heather glared at her older sister in annoyance. "Well, you try if you think it's that easy," she retorted.

Carolina shrugged her shoulders with a distinct lack of concern. "Unfortunately, Dad assigned you the job," she said. "So there really isn't any point."

"Yeah and he's getting seriously antsy about my lack of progress too," Heather said. "So why don't you quit your criticising and come up with some useful ideas on how to prise Chris away from the infuriating little limpet?"

"Honey – he's a man – just use your feminine charms to their maximum effect. Little Miss Red-Riding Hood'll never be able to compete. She's not what you'd call a catwalk model, now is she?"

Heather shot her sibling a withering look. "You think I haven't tried that?" she demanded. "If only it were that simple. The guy is so noble it makes my teeth ache."

"Not that noble," Carolina reminded her. "Or he would have taken the bait last week after the demon attack and dumped her for her own safety."

"Yeah, what a waste of time and money that turned out to be!" Heather said in frustration. "I was positive it was going to work."

"You should have just had them kill her," Carolina said with cold, brutal efficiency.

"Please!" Heather replied with a weary roll of her eyes. "Chris'd be in mourning for years, and he'd certainly never consider getting involved with a woman his dead girlfriend hated." She sighed. "I wish I'd never agreed to this crazy plan now."

"So why did you? Dad and the others would have found someone else to do it eventually."

"Are you kidding? The opportunity to destroy the Charmed Line from within? It'd be the coup of a lifetime!"

"Yeah but to seduce and marry one of the Halliwell brothers? That's a long-term commitment, Heather. We're talking months, maybe even years of your life."

"There'd be compensations," Heather said silkily. "I mean, they're both decidedly on the cute side, don't you think? Wyatt is probably more my type, but hey, I have no objections settling for number two's not so inconsiderable charms. I just wish he wasn't such an elusive prey."

"You just have to be more subtle about it, that's all," Carolina advised. "Be his shoulder to cry on when his relationship with… what's her name...?"

"Emily," her sister supplied.

"Falls spectacularly apart," Carolina finished.

"And who says it will?"

"I do," Carolina told her with a triumphant twinkle in her eye, "With a little bit of well-placed encouragement anyway."

Heather grinned. "And what kind of 'encouragement' do you suggest?" she enquired archly.

"Watch and learn, sis. Watch and learn."

**OOOOOO**

"So no major disasters then?" Chloe asked her fiancé after the recital performance was over.

Wyatt shook his head. "No, it all went rather well actually." He grinned at her. "I guess they can survive without me after all."

"They had the next best thing though, didn't they?" Chloe replied, slipping her fingers into his and giving them a gentle squeeze. "Chris, I mean," she explained off his puzzled look.

"Yeah," Wyatt said, his smile fading and his expression turning pensive.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," her fiancé quickly replied.

"Wyatt…," she chided, instinctively knowing he was lying to her.

"We had a bit of a disagreement," Wyatt confessed.

"Who? You and Chris?"

"Yes."

"I didn't think you two ever argued."

"We don't – well, not that often anyway."

"So what was it about?"

"Emily."

Chloe frowned. "What about Emily?" she queried.

Wyatt looked down at her. "Apparently, I'm more concerned about our wedding going smoothly than I am about finding out who attacked her," he told her.

"But… but that's just ridiculous!" Chloe spluttered. "You would never… we would never… He knows that surely?"

Wyatt sighed. "Yeah, deep inside, I think he probably does. He's just kind of freaked out right now that's all."

"Why?" Chloe questioned, looking suddenly worried. "Do you think the situation is that serious?"

"You don't?" Wyatt asked, surprised by the query.

Chloe shrugged. "Emily doesn't seem to think so. She says if it were meant as a serious warning, then Chris would know what he was being warned about. Otherwise, what's the point of going to all that trouble? It doesn't make any sense."

"No, I don't suppose it does," Wyatt said slowly, his brow furrowed in thought.

"So maybe it's just someone's idea of a sick joke," Chloe went on matter-of-factly.

"Maybe," Wyatt replied noncommittally.

His gaze wandered to Bianca then, who was standing nearby talking to her Aunt and cousin. Chris seemed to have dismissed his earlier, fleeting suspicion of her involvement in Emily's attack, but Wyatt wasn't so sure that he should. While he didn't believe that it would have been premeditated, Bianca did have a temper. It was conceivable that she might have acted rashly in the heat of the moment.

Alternatively, one of her family could have exacted revenge on her behalf – which was a much more likely scenario, now that he thought about it. Family honour was all-important where Phoenix witches were concerned and, the last time he had spoken to her, Bianca was still blaming Emily for her and Chris's break-up. If her family knew that, then they could have easily taken it upon themselves to give the young potion-maker a scare for her apparent insult to one of their kin.

Question was - how was he going to find out without causing offence? Bianca was decidedly touchy where Chris and Emily were concerned. She wouldn't take kindly to her integrity being questioned, that was for sure. Still, he had to ask. If that was all this was about, it was probably over and done with now, meaning that his brother was getting himself twisted up into knots over nothing.

"Wyatt?" Chloe's soft, questioning voice interrupted his musings.

He turned to look at her. "Sorry, I was just…," he broke off, deciding it was probably best not to mention his suspicions to her – Emily was her cousin after all, and he could be completely wrong about Bianca anyway.

"I'm sure he won't stay mad for long," Chloe said, misinterpreting his reticence. "Just give him some space and he'll come around."

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

Unable to track Chris down during the intermission break, Wyatt had come to this same conclusion himself. He could have sensed for his wayward sibling of course, but since Chris seemed determined to avoid him, he figured he should give him some time to cool off before he offered the proverbial olive branch. As Chloe had said, his brother wouldn't stay angry for long - it wasn't in his nature to hold a grudge.

"Hey guys!"

Popping up like a Jack-in-a-Box, Prue appeared at his elbow, making him jump, but also presenting him with the perfect opportunity to excuse himself discreetly while she diverted Chloe's attention with her chatter.

"I didn't come to watch last year," Prue continued as if she'd been part of their conversation all along, "So this is the first time I've been part of the audience rather than up on stage. It almost makes you wish you were still at School, doesn't it? The recital was always the best fun!"

"I used to hate mine," Chloe confessed. "About the only good thing about it was that it signalled the end of the school year. Of course, they were never like this."

"What? No synchronised orbing?" Prue asked with amusement.

"I wish," Chloe replied with a roll of her eyes. "More like synchronised baton twirling, which, incidentally, me with my complete lack of coordination was utterly useless at. I never did understand why my teacher insisted I take part year after year. I ruined every display."

Prue laughed. "I don't know how Aunt Paige managed to persuade Patty and Amy to collaborate. I mean sisterly cooperation is not exactly their forte; usually they're the bicker twins. She must have threatened them with all sorts. It was kind of cool though, I have to admit."

Lightly touching Chloe on the shoulder, Wyatt bent to speak quietly in her ear. "I'll be back in a minute," he told her.

"Sure," she said, nodding absently as he turned to leave. "How did they make the orbs change colour like that?" she asked Prue.

Already out of earshot and striding towards Bianca and her family, Wyatt didn't hear his cousin's reply. He had more important matters on his mind. "Can I have a word?" he asked his brother's beautiful ex.

"Sure," Bianca nodded amicably.

"Not here," he told her. "Follow me."

He orbed out and Bianca shimmered after him. They reappeared in his office moments later, and Wyatt walked slowly around his desk and sat down, trying to figure out how best to phrase his potentially inflammatory question.

Sitting down in the chair opposite and crossing one long, tanned leg over the other, Bianca looked enquiringly at him. When he didn't immediately speak, she started off the conversation for him.

"We haven't heard anything more about the plan to sabotage your wedding if that's what you want to know," she said. "Those involved have gone to ground in the last couple of weeks. You and your family haven't exactly been all that subtle about expressing your displeasure about their actions, have you?"

She smiled teasingly at him and Wyatt felt suddenly guilty for suspecting her. He had to be sure though. Bianca may be innocent of any crime, but her family were a completely different matter.

Despite being essentially good now, they did occasionally step over the line with their no nonsense tactics, something that he had to turn a blind eye to in order to keep them on side. It was politics basically, a game that he was duty-bound to play because of who he was. As long as they kept their behaviour within acceptable limits, then he left them alone to do their thing. One step too far and he would be forced to take action but, as yet, he had never had to face such unpleasantness.

"Emily was attacked last weekend," he told Bianca casually, deciding to approach the thorny issue from an oblique angle.

"Yeah, so I heard," was the Phoenix's short, to the point reply.

"And you haven't heard anything on the grapevine about it?" Wyatt pressed.

Bianca's eyes suddenly narrowed as suspicion of his motives dawned. "You think I was responsible," she stated, her tone biting.

Wyatt opened his mouth to protest this but Bianca cut him off. "Did Chris put you up to this?" she demanded, her temper rising. "Is he that much of coward that he can't ask, or should I say _accuse_ me himself?"

"Chris doesn't have anything to do with this."

Bianca scoffed. "Bull," she retorted heatedly. "Well if he wants to know the truth, then he's damn well going to hear it," she said, knocking her chair over as she abruptly sprang to her feet.

"Bianca, I didn't mean…," Wyatt started to say but the angry brunette had already shimmered out.

Swearing vehemently, Wyatt orbed after her but he was just that little bit too late. Bianca was already stalking towards his unsuspecting brother in high dudgeon, and, as if the situation couldn't get any worse, Chris was not alone. Emily and their parents were with him, not to mention the fact that virtually every pupil in Magic School was probably about to play witness to the impending scene.

Groaning inwardly, Wyatt chased after Bianca's retreating figure, catching up with her just as she confronted a bewildered Chris head-on. Her opening statement was a sharp slap across the face, a move that attracted the immediate attention of those around them. A sudden hush fell over the crowded auditorium.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" Chris said, his hand rising to cradle his stinging face, his eyes wide with shock.

"If you want to know something, then have the balls to ask me yourself!" Bianca stormed angrily, "Don't get your brother to do your dirty work for you!"

"What?" Chris shot a confused look at Wyatt.

"Bianca, you didn't let me finish…," the blond witch-whitelighter said, trying to calm the situation down, unfortunately without much notable success.

"What more is there to say?" Bianca glared at him before gesturing wildly at Emily next to her. "You think I ordered that attack on Little Miss Butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth last week."

"Well, I hate to disappoint you all," she went on, "But I wouldn't even waste my energy! If Chris wants to throw his life away on the boyfriend stealing ho, then that's his prerogative. I couldn't care less quite frankly. So sorry, but you're going to have to look elsewhere for the culprit. It seems someone else has it in for her. Funny that – maybe she's not such the innocent little princess you all think she is!"

With that, Bianca spun around, her long hair flying, and marched from the room, leaving a stunned silence in her wake. Chris stared after her for a moment before galvanising himself into action.

"Bianca wait!" he called out after his fleeing ex, hurrying to catch up with her.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Piper demanded quietly. Her voice was deceptively calm, but Wyatt cringed at the steely note of warning that infused her tone.

Pale and shaken, Emily cast Piper a stricken look and then suddenly seemed to fold in on herself. With a hiccupping sob, she rushed from the room, taking the opposite exit to that which Chris and Bianca had just left from. Chloe exchanged a brief look of concern with Wyatt and then sprinted after her distraught cousin.

"Wyatt…"

"Not now, Mom," Wyatt said, cutting his mother off with uncharacteristic abruptness. "Later okay?"

With that, he also made his escape, inwardly chastising himself for not doing more to prevent Bianca from going up in flames before he'd had the chance to explain properly. He should have cast an anti-shimmering spell or something, at least then she wouldn't have been able to storm off to confront Chris quite so easily.

Chris, meanwhile, had finally caught up with his furious ex in the corridor outside. Grabbing hold of her wrist to stop her from running off again, he swung her round to face him. "Bianca – just wait a minute, okay?"

"Get off me!" Bianca snapped, wrenching her arm out of his grasp. "How could you?" she accused, more upset than angry now. "How could you even think…? I thought you knew me!"

"I do," Chris assured her.

"But you still think I'm capable of something like that!"

Chris shook his head. "No, no I don't. It crossed my mind for an instant, yes, I'll admit that, but I didn't seriously consider it as a possibility for long. I don't know what Wyatt thinks he's playing at accusing you like that."

"Trying to help – only doing a very bad job of it," a wry voice answered from behind them.

Chris rounded on his brother. "What the hell were you thinking?" he demanded furiously.

"That one of Bianca's relatives might have taken it upon themselves to defend the family honour," Wyatt explained.

"I didn't think you were directly responsible," he told Bianca. "But you know what some of your family are like. This is exactly the kind of stunt they'd pull."

"I know," Bianca said matter-of-factly, "Which is why they don't know anything about me and Chris splitting up."

"Huh?" Chris looked confused. "Are you saying they think we're still together?"

"No," Bianca replied, "They know we broke up, they just don't know why. They think our relationship simply ran its course."

'It did,' Chris thought to himself, but wisely didn't articulate this opinion out loud. Things were bad enough as it was.

Bianca had turned to address a contrite-looking Wyatt. "I'll admit that Emily isn't exactly my favourite person," she told him, "But I'm not so stupid that I don't know what kind of 'punishment,'" She crooked her fingers into quote marks, "Some members of my family might see fit to mete out in these types of circumstances. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, whatever they did to me."

Wyatt nodded. "All right, I'm sorry. But you understand why I had to ask. We have to eliminate every possibility, however remote."

"Look, my family weren't involved, all right?" Bianca repeated stridently. "I'd know if they were. I mean the likely culprits would never be able to resist the opportunity to brag about their exploits and I haven't heard a murmur from any of them."

"Bianca?" A female voice interrupted. "Are you all right, honey?"

Wyatt and Chris turned round to see Bianca's Aunt, Tina walking purposely towards them. "Haven't you done enough?" she snapped at Chris as she joined them.

"Tina, I'm okay," Bianca assured her. "Honestly," she added when her Aunt looked dubious.

"I thought you said your family didn't know," Wyatt said, frowning at his brother's former girlfriend.

"Tina won't say anything," Bianca replied. "You know she won't," she added, throwing a pointed look at her ex.

Chris nodded. "I know," he said quietly and he did. Tina was one of the few members of Bianca's family that had been supportive of their relationship and he would always be grateful to her for that.

Satisfied that her niece was indeed fine, Tina's confrontational attitude softened a little. "Well – you're certainly the hot topic of gossip in there, I can tell you." she remarked with a glimmer of a smile.

"Great," Chris remarked drolly.

Bianca shook her head, her lips twisting into a wry smile. "Now see, if I was going to take my revenge, that'd be much more my style. Public humiliation is so much more satisfying, don't you think?"

"Bianca!" Chris said in protest.

"I'm sorry," Bianca said, her eyes downcast. "It's just hard, you know – seeing you with her." She sighed, forcing herself to admit the truth. "You're happy," she said, lifting her mournful eyes to his face.

Chris nodded, unable to deny it. "You will be too," he assured her quietly.

"Maybe you'll meet someone special in New York," Tina put in encouragingly.

"Tina…," Bianca said, a note of warning in her voice. It was too late however…

"New York?" Chris asked with interest.

"She got a place on an advanced fashion design course there," Tina informed him before Bianca could stop her.

"Really?" Chris's face split into a warm, genuine smile at this news. "That's great!"

"Only she's not sure she's going to take it," Tina went on.

"Why?" Chris looked over at Bianca in surprise. "It's what you've always wanted."

"Well yeah," Bianca agreed, "But Daddy's not happy about me moving so far away and…" She stopped mid-sentence as something occurred to her. "I guess I always thought I defied him because of you," she admitted.

"There was more to it than that, Bianca," Chris told her. "It was about what you wanted from life as well. You'd be crazy to pass up an opportunity like this – you can't not go just because your Dad's being his usual, over-bearing self."

"That's what I've been telling her," Tina said. "I mean it's a prestigious course – they only take the best. It's a major achievement just getting accepted."

"You have to go," Chris urged his former girlfriend. "You know you'll regret it if you don't."

Bianca looked back at him and then over at her Aunt, who was watching her expectantly. "That was cheating," she accused the older woman.

Tina smiled. "Yeah well, Chris may not be in my best books right now, but I can't deny he was good for you. He opened your eyes to a life beyond that which your father had taught you, and I would hate for you to be sucked back into that restricted world again. This is – and always has been – about more than just Chris. It's about everything you have the potential to achieve with your life, and I'll be damned if I'm going to just sit by and watch you throw it all away. You're worth so much more than that, Bianca."

"But what if he cuts me off? Financially I mean. I can't exist on thin air."

"You won't have to. You still have your trust fund from your grandparents, your father has no means of denying you access to that – and you can get a job to supplement that income as well."

"I suppose," Bianca admitted reluctantly.

"So what's the problem then?" Tina asked with exasperation.

"Nothing! I just…," Bianca trailed off and unconsciously looked over at Chris again, who was struck by a sudden clarity of understanding.

He had shared nearly three years of his life with this woman. He knew her like no one else and he knew that she'd never really known failure before. Everything she wanted out of life, she got, but that hadn't been the case with him. He'd not been willing to change to fit her needs, nor she to fit his, and, for the first time in her life, she'd had to admit defeat. The concept was alien to her and he could see how it might have knocked her confidence in other areas of her life.

Despite his lack of expertise in the fashion industry, he knew Bianca had talent. He'd seen her designs and was intelligent enough to recognise the unique quality in them. If she turned down an opportunity of a lifetime because of him, he'd feel awful. As her Aunt has said, she was worth so much more than her father's narrow view of the world.

"Just because we couldn't make it work, doesn't mean everything in your life is going to end up that way," he told her.

Bianca flushed at this and he knew he'd correctly pinpointed the source of her anxieties.

"You're not the woman I thought you were if you quit because of one unexpected turning," he went on, knowing that if he sparked her competitive streak, she'd not be able to resist the chance to prove him wrong.

"I'm not quitting!" Bianca immediately retorted.

"What else would you call it?"

"I'm… I'm just mulling my options over!"

Chris grinned. "Oh, is that right?" he said.

"Yes, that's right!" Bianca snapped back and Wyatt chuckled. "What?" she demanded of him.

"Did I say anything?" he asked innocently.

Bianca's defiant gaze swivelled between the two brothers and then she suddenly seemed to realise how well she was being played. Tina smiled broadly at the chagrined expression that crossed her niece's face at this realisation.

"You know I think I might still like you after all," she remarked conversationally to Chris, who grinned at her before turning back to his ex.

"Bianca look – I want you to be happy, okay? I know things ended messily between us and I truly am sorry for that. I should have had the guts to face up to my doubts about our relationship a long time before I did. If I had, then Emily wouldn't have become part of the equation, and you wouldn't feel as if you've been cast aside somehow. Because whatever you believe, she is not the reason I broke up with you. If things had been right between us, I would have never looked her way."

"Maybe, but it didn't take you very long to get over me, did it?" Bianca retorted, one of the main causes of her hurt suddenly making itself known.

Sensing that this was a private conversation that wasn't really any of their business, Tina and Wyatt respectively moved out of earshot, while Chris shook his head with a sigh.

"I know it must seem like that, Bianca," he said sorrowfully, "But that isn't the case, I assure you.You and I were having problems way before Emily came on the scene and I think, even then, I was aware that our time together was finite, that the things that you wanted from life didn't coincide with the things that I did."

He paused to take a breath, his expression wistful. "I still had strong feelings for you though," he went on, "And it's hard to let go of someone that you care about, even if you do know that some day that parting is inevitable. In retrospect, I shouldn't have let things drag on for so long , but when you're in the middle of it, it's difficult to see things that clearly. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's been over for me for much longer than the five months that we've officially been apart. So, although it might seem like I started dating Emily immediately after we broke up. In truth, it wasn't like that at all."

"You… you should have told me," Bianca said tearfully.

"I know," Chris replied solemnly. "I just… I didn't want to hurt you, and it wasn't as if I couldn't stand being around you. I still enjoyed your company; I still cared about you. It was easier to pretend that everything was all right rather than admit the truth. It took an outside influence to make me see the reality of our situation and finally take action."

"You mean Emily."

"Partly," Chris admitted, "I can't deny I missed her while she was in LA. But actually, it was Wyatt and Chloe who finally made up my mind for me."

"Wyatt and Chloe?"

Bianca was confused, it hadn't occurred to her that the timing of his brother's engagement was significant in any way. Chris had never properly explained what had prompted him to break up with her, just the reasons for his decision.

"Yeah," Chris said softly. "Wyatt was so sure, you see – about marrying Chloe, I mean. There were no doubts there, just nerves about asking her. I realised that that's how it should be. If you have to over-analyze something like that, then something isn't right. I'm not saying you should propose to someone on a whim, but there has to be some element of gut instinct involved. It has to feel right inside."

"And it didn't with me," Bianca stated.

"And did it for you Bianca?" Chris asked. "Truly? In all honesty, can you say that the love we had was enough?"

Bianca sighed. "We should have had this conversation ages ago," she said wearily.

"Yeah well, you've been difficult to talk to. You've been so angry all the time."

"I know - it was easier to blame someone else, I guess."

"Just like it was easier for me to pretend everything was fine," Chris said wryly.

Bianca shot him a watery smile as her previous bitterness faded into sad acceptance.

"You should go to New York," Chris said quietly, seeing this in her eyes.

"Trying to get rid of me, huh?" she quipped half-heartedly.

"Bianca…"

She waved off his protest. "Maybe I will go," she decided. "And then when I'm a famous fashion designer, you can tell your children about the one you let get away," she added, trying to lighten the mood.

Chris smiled. "Yeah and, at the same time, you'll be telling your perfect husband, thank god he dumped me!" he returned.

Bianca smiled briefly at this and then looked away. Chris reached out and squeezed her hand. "Be happy, okay?"

Bianca nodded. "I will," she promised. "And… and I hope I haven't made things too difficult for you in there," she said, gesturing vaguely towards the auditorium.

"I think I probably deserve it for my atrociously bad handling of all of this," Chris replied. "And besides, it's all Wyatt's fault anyway."

Bianca laughed, despite herself. "Give him a break. He was only trying to help," she said before leaning forward and kissing him softly on the cheek. "Goodbye, Christopher Halliwell. It's been nice knowing you."

Chris smiled down at her as she stepped back. "Go get 'em, tiger," he said bracingly.

Bianca nodded and then called out to her Aunt. "Tina, I think I'm going to go home, okay?"

Tina turned around. "Sure honey." She looked like she wanted to say more but managed to contain herself with difficulty.

Bianca took pity on her though. "And tomorrow you can help me shop for New York," she added with a smile.

After Bianca had shimmered out, Tina looked over at Chris. "Thank you," she said simply.

The dark-haired witch-whitelighter shrugged. "I still care what happens to her, you know."

Tina nodded. "I know."

"She'll love it in New York," Chris predicted.

"My opinion exactly. Why do you think I've been trying so hard to get her to go?" Tina replied. "Anyway, I should find Lily before she gets herself into trouble."

With that, she headed back towards the auditorium in search of her daughter, leaving the two brothers alone. They were silent for a moment before Wyatt broke the impasse. "I think I should warn you - Mom is asking questions."

Chris closed his eyes with a sigh. "I knew I should have said something to her before now," he said wearily, and then his eyes snapped back open again as something occurred to him.

"You didn't leave Emily alone in there to deal with it all, did you?" he demanded sharply.

Wyatt shifted uncomfortably. "No, she was kind of upset after what happened. She ran off not long after you followed Bianca."

"And you're just getting round to telling me this now?"

"Chloe went after her, and I figured you and Bianca had some unfinished business to deal with."

"That's not the point! Emily is…" Chris broke off and sighed. "Look – tell Mom and Dad I'll come over later and explain things, okay? Right now, I need to find Emily before she has another one of her insecurity attacks."

His brother nodded and turned to go.

"Oh and Wyatt?" Chris called after him.

"Mmm?"

"If you feel that sudden, inexplicable urge to help again?"

"Yes?"

"Do me a favour and restrain yourself."

_**To be continued…**_

**P.S.** I haven't forgotten the storyline with Emily's Dad; it's just been put on hold for a while. Wyatt and Chloe's wedding is fast approaching, so that's the main storyline for the next few chapters…


	36. Family Explanations

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! New update for you all. There's a mild suggestion of adult behaviour in this chapter so be warned. For anyone who is reading my other story, False Memories, I'm working on the next chapter but it could be a while yet before I update.

Anyhow, on with the show…

**

* * *

Chapter 36 **

Chloe sighed heavily as she watched her cousin pace up and down the empty classroom. "Emily – just try and get some perspective, okay?"

Emily stopped her pacing to stare incredulously at her cousin. "Get some perspective?" she repeated. "My boyfriend's parents think I'm a… what was it? Oh yeah – 'a boyfriend stealing ho' and you're telling me to get some perspective? How is anything about that good?"

"Look, once Piper and Leo know the circumstances, they'll …"

"What? Think I'm the perfect angel again?" Emily interrupted with a derisive snort. "I'm not exactly whiter than white in all of this, Chloe - you know I'm not. Whichever way you look at it, I did fall in love with someone else's boyfriend."

"I know, but very few people are saints, you know. What matters is that you did the right thing when you realised you could no longer ignore how you felt about him."

"Moving to LA was more for my own preservation though," Emily said. "I'm not sure I did it out of any sense of obligation to Bianca."

"That's not the point though, is it? As far as you were concerned, Chris was off limits while he was with her. I can understand why Bianca is upset, but, if you ask me, the amount of vitriol she's heaping on you is completely unwarranted. It's not as if you and Chris had an affair for god's sake! You didn't start seeing each other until several months after they split."

Emily sat down behind one of the desks and wearily dropped her head into her hands.

"You're not upset that Chris went after her, are you?" Chloe asked.

Emily lifted her gaze and shook her head. "No, strangely enough, I'm not," she replied, shooting her cousin a small smile. "That's a good thing, I guess."

Chloe nodded. "Definite progress," she concurred, "Because if you want things to work out between the two of you, you have to stop feeling so insecure and learn how to trust him."

"That's all irrelevant now though, isn't it?" Emily said dejectedly.

"What do you mean?"

"Chloe, come on! Don't be so naive. I know Chris and Wyatt aren't complete Mommy's boys – I mean they know their own minds, make their own decisions and all of that. _But_, they still worship the ground Piper walks on, don't they? How long do you think it'd be before they started to question the merits of a relationship that she disapproved of? Three, four months tops, I'd say."

"Except that you don't know for sure that she's going to disapprove yet," Chloe argued. "And why should she anyway? You make Chris happy. Surely that's all that matters in the end?"

Emily sighed. "You can't honestly believe that this is all going to turn out okay?" she said.

"Why not?" Chloe asked.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No, not to me it isn't. You haven't done anything wrong, Emily. Other than fall in love with the wrong person that is and you couldn't help that, could you? It'd be different if you'd done something about it, but you didn't. At least not until it was okay to do so anyway."

"You're just biased."

"Maybe so, but Wyatt's not," Chloe replied. "All he wants is for his brother to be happy."

"And that's relevant, how?"

"Well, he told me the other day that Chris is much more relaxed around you than he ever was with Bianca," Chloe explained. "He said he never really understood the pressure that his brother felt under to live up to his other self's hopes for a better future until now. Chris couldn't envisage a lifetime with Bianca, you see, but he didn't feel like he could admit to that without betraying what the first Chris had sacrificed for him and the rest of the family. So instead, he tried to make it work when, deep down, he knew it never would."

"And Chris told Wyatt all of this, did he?" Emily asked with interest.

"Not in so many words, I don't think," Chloe replied, "But Wyatt's not stupid, I think he just knows, you know? I suppose Chris eventually realised that it was better to be honest. I mean, he and Bianca are different people this time around, aren't they? Just because they were right together in the first future doesn't mean they are in this one. They've lived completely different lives. It stands to reason that that would change them."

Emily nodded. "I suppose. I don't see how it changes anything now though."

"Well, if Wyatt's noticed such a difference in his brother's general state of mind, then I would say Piper and Leo have too. And they've got to be attributing some of that to you, haven't they?"

Emily laughed weakly at her cousin's optimism. "It's pretty thin, Chloe," she said with a wry shake of her head.

"Look - all I'm saying is don't count your chickens until they're hatched. You're acting as if you've behaved like some predatory cuckoo in the nest when that's just not the case. I think Piper's intuitive enough to realise that."

The musical sound of someone orbing could be heard outside in the corridor then, and the two young women looked up as Chris poked his head around the doorframe.

"There you are," he said, the rest of his body following his head and shoulders into the classroom. "Are you okay?"

Ducking her head, Emily bit her bottom lip. "Define okay," she said quietly.

Sensing her presence was no longer required; Chloe got up and quietly left the room as Chris went over to join his girlfriend. Sitting down in another of the straight-backed wooden chairs, he reached out and pulled Emily's around to face his.

"Listen to me," he said earnestly, "This isn't as bad as you think."

"Since when?" Emily retorted, "The entire school think I seduced you away from Bianca, Chris."

"Yeah well, a good, healthy dose of scandal never did anyone any harm."

"It's not funny!" Emily snapped angrily.

Chris sighed. "I know, I'm sorry – bad habit of mine. Making light of serious situation, I mean. What I meant to say is that the people that matter are not going to think that, so stop worrying."

"What about your Mom and Dad?" Emily said, a slight note of hysteria creeping into her voice. "They matter."

"And once they know the truth, they'll be fine with it," Chris replied calmly.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know them. And because I know that, while we both had feelings that maybe we shouldn't have had, we didn't act upon them until we were free to do so and that's what counts."

"You… you had feelings for me?"

Taking her hands in his, Chris leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers. "Yes, I had feelings for you," he said. "I told you that before, remember? On our first date?"

Emily nodded, recalling the conversation now that he'd prompted her memory of it.

"Only, at the time, those feelings were mixed up with everything else that I was going through, so I couldn't make proper sense of them," Chris continued. "Plus, I would never have done anything to hurt Bianca of course."

"She is hurt though, isn't she?" Emily said guiltily.

Chris sat back with a sigh, knowing that this was never going to be the easiest of subjects for the two of them to discuss. Feeling the need to maintain some sort of physical connection between them, he kept his fingers laced through hers as he responded to her question.

"She's hurt that I appeared to move on so quickly, yes," he admitted. "She knew things weren't right between us, but I don't think she saw the end coming like I did. Because of that, she's still adjusting to everything, whereas I've had more time to reconcile myself with it. I do think she's starting to find some closure now however."

"Is… is that what you talked about just now?" Emily asked hesitantly. His obvious caring for Bianca still unnerved her, even if she was learning to let go of her self-doubts and trust him.

"I know it's not really any of my business," she added hastily.

"Maybe it isn't, but I'll answer the question anyway," Chris replied easily, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

"Yeah, it's what we talked about," he confirmed after a beat, "Well, that and the fact that I didn't believe she was responsible for the attack on you."

"I can't believe Wyatt thought she might be," Emily said. "I know she has her issues with me, but even I know that she wouldn't take things that far."

"Wyatt was thinking more along the lines of her family being responsible rather than Bianca herself," Chris explained, "Which isn't such a major leap of the imagination to be honest. Phoenix witches are very territorial creatures by nature."

"No kidding!" Emily joked and Chris smiled.

"They're not the only ones though, are they?" he pointed out, and Emily slapped him lightly across the chest, her cheeks flushing pink as she remembered her volatile reaction to the Heather 'incident' a few weeks ago.

"Not that I'm complaining," Chris continued with a sly grin. "It's a character trait that has its… err… compensations, shall we say?"

Emily blushed even more and Chris chuckled in a distinctly roguish fashion before returning their conversation to its original subject.

"This is Wyatt of course," he went on. "So instead of taking the softly-softly approach like normal people, he jumped in with both of his very large feet. Mr Diplomacy my brother isn't."

Emily smiled briefly at this acid-tongued observation and then her expression sobered again. "Is it ever going to be easy?" she asked plaintively.

"People will forget," Chris assured her. "Okay, so we might have to ride out a few stormy waters first, but we'll be yesterday's news before you know it. We just have to hang on in there and see it through. It'll get better once Bianca goes to New York, I'm sure."

"New York?" Emily queried.

"She got a place on a design course out there."

"Wow! That's like… cool!"

Chris smiled. "Yeah, yeah it is. I'm really happy for her. It's something she's wanted for a long time. She deserves it."

Emily nodded, her blue eyes full of solemn reflection. Cupping her downcast face in his hands, Chris leaned forward and kissed her full on the lips.

"Bianca isn't the only one who needs to put all of this behind her, Emily," he said when he released her. "It's time to move on now. We can't keep living in the shadow of what has gone before. It will only end up coming between us if we do."

"I know," Emily said softly.

Silence fell as they looked intently into each other's eyes for a long moment, and then something drew Emily towards Chris like a moth to a flame. Moving out of her seat, she settled herself astride his lap and began to kiss him for all she was worth, letting the last of the protective barriers come down as she poured her heart and soul into the heady embrace.

Chris, recognising her surrender for what it was, responded in kind, kissing her back with a raw passion that came straight from the heart. Eventually though, he was forced to calm the stormy clinch before things went too far. They were in a public place after all, and there were laws about that sort of thing.

"Whoa! Cool your jets, girl," he murmured as he reluctantly drew back.

Her cheeks flushed and her breath coming in shallow gasps, Emily giggled rather giddily. "I love you," she whispered, her lips seeking out his again for one final kiss.

"Mmm," Chris hummed against her exploring mouth. "I love you too. Now come on, I'll take you home."

"Home?" Emily questioned, a small frown line appearing in the centre of her forehead.

Chris nodded. "I think it's best," he said. "There's nothing to be gained by stirring things up again. Dad certainly won't thank me and I think we've provided the masses with enough entertainment for one night, don't you?"

"What about your Mom and Dad though?"

"I said I'd go over to the Manor later and talk to them," Chris replied.

Climbing off his lap, Emily rose to her feet. "Do you want me to come with you?" she asked.

"Maybe tomorrow," Chris said after a moment's contemplation. "Give me a chance to explain things to them myself first."

"You'll tell them I'm sorry though, won't you?"

"For what? This isn't your fault, Emily. Wyatt was the one who sparked all of this off."

"Yes, I know but…," She stopped and sighed. "You weren't mine to have, Chris, not back then anyway. It didn't stop me from wanting you though."

"Well, of course, I'm completely irresistible, aren't I?"

Emily shook her head. Was he ever serious? "Chris…" she chided.

"Come here," the dark-haired witch-whitelighter said, pulling her into his arms again. "I meant it, you know. We need to put this behind us. What's done is done; we can't go back. Besides, things are pretty much resolved with Bianca now anyway."

"They are?"

"Yes, they are," Chris said firmly, although he didn't elaborate on why.

"Okay," Emily replied, accepting his word for it.

Chris kissed her lightly on the forehead and then gently touched his fingers to the side of her face. "So – home?" he enquired.

Emily nodded. "Home," she echoed as the two of them dissolved into a plume of blue lights…

**OOOOOO**

Chloe was standing on the top stair, scanning the auditorium for a sign of a familiar face, when she belatedly noticed Wyatt heading up the steps towards her.

"Hey!" she said, greeting him with a smile.

"Hey!" he returned, bending to bestow a quick kiss on her lips. "Chris found Emily then?"

Chloe nodded. "Yeah – I left them to talk."

"Is she okay?"

Chloe sighed. "She's worried about your Mom and Dad disapproving," she told him. "And that it might put Chris off if they do."

"I don't know how they're going to react to be honest," Wyatt replied. "They're pretty mad right now, but I think that's more because of the public scene than anything else." He sighed. "Which was all my fault. If I had thought about what I was doing for two seconds …"

"You were only trying to help," Chloe said loyally. "You didn't honestly think that Bianca was involved though, did you?"

"No, not Bianca," Wyatt replied with a shake of his head. "Certain members of her family I wasn't so sure about however. She completely lost it before I had a chance to explain that to her though."

"Obviously," Chloe replied with heavy sarcasm.

Wyatt shrugged. "She was upset – you can't blame her for that. It was a dead-end anyway; they weren't responsible."

Chloe sighed. "I know I'm biased, but I think it's about time she cut Chris and Emily a break. She's acting as if they slept together behind her back or something. It's just not fair."

"I don't think Bianca will be a problem anymore," Wyatt said, "If there's one good thing that has come out of this debacle, then it's that she and Chris finally got to say the things that had been left unsaid up until now. I think they both needed that closure."

Chloe nodded and then frowned. "If it wasn't Bianca or her family, then who did attack Emily?" she asked worriedly.

"I don't know," Wyatt replied, "And that's what concerns me. By not showing their hand now, it suggests that this was only Phase One of their plan. Question is – what happens when they proceed to Phase Two?"

**OOOOOO**

**_Emily's Apartment, later that evening…_**

Redressing after taking a quick shower, Chris buckled the belt on his jeans and then scanned the room for the rest of his clothes.

"Err – t-shirts?" he enquired with a backward glance at Emily, who was sitting cross-legged in the centre of her bed, dressed in a cute little t-shirt and shorts set.

"Bottom drawer," she told him, briefly looking up from the magazine that she was flicking through.

Squatting down, Chris retrieved a clean t-shirt and then straightened up again. "You cleared me out a drawer?" he asked with a smile.

"Yeah well, seeing as you're so determined to move in here, I figured I should," Emily returned teasingly. "Your clothes'll get all crumpled stuffed into that backpack of yours."

After pulling the red tee on over his head, Chris joined her on the bed. "I think it's a little early to be thinking about moving in permanently," he said seriously, "But while we're still in the dark about who attacked you, I don't like the thought of you being here alone at night."

"Chris! You've got the place sealed tighter than Fort Knox," Emily protested, gesturing at the crystals placed in various strategic points around the bedroom, crystals that occupied similar positions throughout her entire apartment. "Relax okay? I'm not entirely helpless, you know."

"I know, but it's still better to be safe than sorry."

Emily shook her head at his over-protectiveness. So far his need to play bodyguard had only extended to him staying over every night since her discharge from hospital, and she wasn't about to complain about _that_. It would definitely get annoying if he ended up shadowing her every move though. However, as that was yet to happen, she decided to let the matter slide for now.

"Well," she said with an offhand shrug, "At least you're nice to look at."

"Hey!" Chris said, poking her in the ribs. "Watch your cheek, missy. I'm more than just your eye-candy, you know."

"Yeah, but it is still your main function in life," Emily told him mischievously and then squealed with laughter as he play-wrestled her to the mattress in retaliation.

"Chris! Stop!" she giggled when he began to tickle her mercilessly.

"Take it back first!" he demanded.

"No!"

Squirming this way and that, she desperately tried to evade his teasing fingers but to no avail. "All right, all right, I take it back," she eventually surrendered when she was laughing so hard that her ribs hurt from the effort. "Please stop!"

Laughing along with her, Chris finally let up his relentless torture and bent to soothe the injury with a slow, smoochy kiss. "I should get going," he said when he eventually managed to tear himself away. "Mom and Dad'll be home after the recital now."

Emily nodded, her buoyant mood sobering in an instant. "Okay," she agreed in a small voice.

"It'll be all right," Chris reassured her for perhaps the tenth time that evening. "Make sure you activate the protective shield after I've left," he instructed as he dropped a quick kiss on her upturned lips and then rose to his feet, "And call me if there's anything…"

"I'll be fine," Emily interrupted. "Just go."

Chris nodded. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he told her and then orbed out to the Manor…

Padding down the hallway to her apartment's front door, Emily picked up the crystal on the table nearby and set it down on the floor in its allotted position. There was a faint buzzing sound and various crystals around the apartment began to glow a pale blue colour.

The shield that Chris had set up around her apartment was a cut-down version of that which he, his brother, his mother and Aunts had developed to ward off unwanted interlopers at the forthcoming wedding. Anything with demon blood or true evil in its soul would be repelled, whereas humans or good magical beings remained unaffected. It was advanced magic, something that once again reminded Emily of what she'd inadvertently gotten herself into when she'd struck up a friendship with the Halliwell brothers all those months ago.

While she loved Chris and knew Chloe was head-over-heels where Wyatt was concerned, there was no getting away from the fact that the two brothers were part of the most powerful Wicca family on earth. They were just so normal that you tended to forget that though, until something like this brought it into sharp focus. It was a little scary to be honest, but she was in too deep now to walk away.

Not that she wanted to, mind, the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks even if she did find herself overawed by their magical supremacy every once in a while. In the end, Chris was just the man she loved, and Wyatt, his brother, her friend, not to mention her cousin's soon to be husband.

That thought made her heart sink a little – the wedding was just over a week away now and the countdown was finally about to begin, starting with the bridal shower and bachelor party that very weekend. With everything that had happened with Bianca tonight, Emily had almost forgotten that the parties were to take place the following day. It suddenly became more important than ever that Piper was okay with her and Chris's relationship. How awkward would it be tomorrow if she wasn't? There'd be no Chris to act as a buffer then.

With a heavy sigh, Emily retreated into her bedroom to await her boyfriend's return, hoping against hope that he would be able to talk his parents round and make them understand that she wasn't quite the femme fatale that a bitter Bianca had made her out to be…

**OOOOOO**

_**The Halliwell Manor…**_

Chris orbed into the downstairs hallway of his childhood home, pausing there for a brief second to locate his parent's current whereabouts. Following the sound of voices, he wandered through into the kitchen where he discovered, not only his Mom and Dad, but also his brother and two Aunts sitting around the large, oblong table.

"I should have sold tickets," he commented dryly, a joke that was completely lost on his fuming mother.

"I think you've caused enough of a public spectacle tonight, don't you?" she snapped.

"That wasn't me!" Chris retorted. "It isn't my fault that Wyatt can't keep his big mouth shut."

"That's beside the point," Piper said, brushing off his protest. "It's your mess. The fact that your brother exposed it doesn't absolve you of the responsibility. Did you even consider for one second how your behaviour reflects on your father and his position at Magic School? I would have hoped that you would show him more respect!"

"Mom look, hear him out before you make any judgements, okay?" Wyatt said, interrupting his irate mother's tirade. "It isn't how you think – and Chris is right, it is partly my fault. I didn't handle the situation very well. I should have known Bianca would take offence."

"Take offence at what?" Leo asked, sounding a good deal calmer than his wife but still rather tense nevertheless.

"Me suggesting that her family might have taken revenge on her behalf," Wyatt replied.

"On Emily, you mean?"

"Umm…" Wyatt cast a quick look at his brother and then nodded, "Yeah."

"And what exactly would they have been taking revenge for?" Piper asked acidly. "As if I need to ask."

"Yes actually, you do!" Chris cut in hotly, losing his temper at the hint of accusation in his mother's tone. How dare she just assume?

"Nothing excuses an affair, Chris," Piper returned, "So don't even try to justify it. I thought I brought you up better than that. Obviously not."

"Well, if you're so determined to think the worst of me, then there's no point in me being here, is there?" Chris said angrily. "You know I told Emily you'd be reasonable about this, that you'd understand! How wrong was I, huh?"

"I think everyone needs to calm down a little, don't you?" Phoebe said, stepping in to smooth the situation over as it threatened to spiral out of control. "I know tonight didn't exactly do much for our family's public image, but since when have we ever cared about that? Chris came here to explain, Piper – I think we should at least allow him do that."

Reining in her temper, the eldest Charmed One nodded. She wasn't really angry about the scene at the recital anyway. As Phoebe said, she didn't care two hoots about what other people thought about them, what she cared about was that she had been kept in the dark about this, that one – no both - of her sons had lied to her about something so significant.

"All right – explain," she said shortly.

Chris slid into the empty seat at the head of the table, took a deep breath and did just that. When he was finished, everyone was quiet, each and every one of them waiting for Piper's reaction.

"Just tell me one thing," she said, her eyes fixed on her son's face, "Why am I only finding out about this now?"

Chris sighed. "Look, I was planning to tell you, I swear," he said. "I didn't originally because… well, I figured it was Emily's personal business to tell you the truth."

"Before you got together, then yes I'd agree with that, but afterwards…"

"Afterwards… afterwards I guess I did put it off. Emily was nervous about you knowing, you see. She didn't want you to think badly of her."

"So she asked you to keep it from me?" Piper asked.

Chris shook his head. "No – we discussed it and she wanted me to tell you before you found out from someone else. I was the one who decided that we should wait a while first. It was as you said that night in London. You said that she was jumpy around me and that I should take care because she'd obviously been hurt in the past. Well, you were right. She had - by me - and I didn't want to put any additional pressure on her. I was holding off until she was a bit more relaxed about things."

"You didn't think I'd understand," Piper said sadly.

"I couldn't be absolutely sure that you would, no."

"You do know how ridiculous that is, don't you?" Phoebe cut in.

Chris looked over at his Aunt, confused.

"I mean she and your Dad only had the forbidden love of all time," she clarified with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh," Chris said as understanding dawned. His lips twisted into a wry smile. "I guess I didn't think of that."

"Obviously."

"I think I know a little something about trying to make a relationship work when you know it's not right too," Piper said with a shrewd look at her son.

"Huh?" Chris looked at her blankly, not understanding. She and his Dad were happy together, surely?

"I'd forgotten about Dan," Phoebe mused. "I wonder what he's doing now."

"Dan?" Wyatt asked sharply, his tone so incredulous that Paige started to laugh.

"Yeah, shock, horror, your Mom dated before she met your Dad," she quipped.

"It was after she met Leo actually," Phoebe corrected.

"WHAT?"

Piper smiled at the twin looks of horror that crossed her sons' faces, and Leo chuckled at their territorialism, despite the fact that they were talking about one of the more painful times in his life.

"I think you had better explain before they spontaneously combust," he said to his wife.

Piper nodded and then turned to address her sons. "I know it's probably hard for you to understand, but when I first met your Dad, things were very different from the way they are now. I'd only just found out I was a witch for a start and I thought the Elders were some kind of dictatorship from on high. It just seemed too hard for us to be together, so I made the difficult choice to walk away and move on with my life."

"With this Dan character," Wyatt put in, sounding for all the world like a belligerent child rather than a twenty-seven year old grown man.

"Yes with Dan," Piper agreed. "He was sweet, kind, good-looking and non magical. In short, everything I thought I wanted in a man – only…," she stopped and looked over at her husband, her gaze soft. "Only no matter what my head was telling me, my heart was _always_ pulling the other way and, in the end, it wasn't something I could fight. It may sound crazy but, ultimately, the more complicated path was the easiest one to take."

"It doesn't sound crazy," Chris said quietly.

"No?" Piper asked, her eyes searching his face for an answer.

"No," her son replied. "I knew that dating Emily after I split from Bianca would err… create some controversy. But, if I walked away, I would never know, you know?"

"And you want to know?" Piper asked.

"Yes, I want to know," Chris said with conviction.

Piper nodded. "Honey, as long as the choices you make are honest, you know I'll support them," she said, "So if you truly believe that this is something worth pursuing then go for it."

Chris smiled. "And Emily?" he enquired

"What about her?" Piper asked.

Chris just looked back at her in reply, his steady gaze telling her all she needed to know.

"Why do you and your brother always assume that I'm going to give your girlfriends a hard time?" she demanded. "Anybody would think I'm a complete ogre the way you two behave."

Chris grinned. "You can be pretty intimidating, Mom. You expect a lot, you know."

"Only what you deserve," she retorted before her expression softened. "After what Wyatt went through with Tara, I worry about you both," she admitted candidly. "I just want to make sure that nothing like that ever happens again. Is that so wrong?"

"Of course not, but I know what I'm doing, okay? Emily and I have discussed this and we're not going to rush into things, so there's no need for you to worry. She's been my friend for a long time now, Mom. I trust her and I need you to as well."

"All right," Piper said. "We'll forget this ever happened – on one condition."

"What?"

"That you promise that there aren't any other secrets you're hiding from me."

"There isn't, I swear," Chris assured her. "Well, apart from all those things a mother should _never _know about of course," he added jokingly.

"Yes, well, the less said about that the better," Piper remarked wryly.

Chris grinned cheekily at her and turned to look questionably at his father.

"It was never me you had to convince, son," Leo said with a shrug. "Although I have to say you do seem to have this incredible knack of making things as complicated as possible where your love-life is concerned."

"Tell me about it," Chris said with an upward roll of his eyes. "Still – not to worry – Wyatt's love-life is about to take centre stage as of tomorrow."

"Oo yes! One week and counting," Phoebe said gushingly, clapping her hands together in anticipatory delight. "Are you nervous yet?"

"I am if you're going to carry on like that all week," Wyatt said dryly.

Paige laughed. "Oh, I think she can be relied upon to be over excitable," she said.

"My nephew's getting married, what's wrong with that?" Phoebe said with a look of protest. "I remember when you were just a cute little baby and now look at you – all grown up and handsome."

She reached out to pinch his cheek, a gesture that Wyatt endured with equanimity before looking plaintively at his brother.

"Time to go?" Chris enquired lightly, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Uh-uh, I think so. We're meeting at my apartment tomorrow, right?"

"Yes – I told everyone to be there at eleven."

"And I don't suppose you're gonna give me a clue of what you've got planned?"

Chris grinned, a wicked gleam in his eye. "It wouldn't be a surprise if I did," he said.

"Your kind of surprises I can do without," his brother replied.

"Well too bad. After tonight, you owe me one, so you're just going to have to endure it."

"I don't want you getting him into any trouble," Piper said, motherly authority infusing her voice. She was fully aware of her younger son's propensity for practical jokes.

Chris laughed. "Mom, relax, he'll make it home in one piece, I promise. There's no harm in us having some fun though, is there? This is supposed to be a bachelor party after all."

"Just as long as there's still a bridegroom at the end of it."

"Why does everyone always assume the worst of me?" Chris asked reproachfully.

"I couldn't possibly imagine," was the sardonic reply from his mother.

**OOOOOO**

Still wide-awake despite the late hour, Emily flipped over her pillow and laid her head back down against the cool cotton. For want of something better to do, she had decided to go to bed rather than wait up for Chris, but sleep was proving to be an elusive commodity.

She glanced at her alarm clock, the red neon numbers read 00:45. What was taking so long? Was this a good or a bad sign? As if in answer to her question, the room suddenly glowed blue as the object of her thoughts orbed back into the apartment.

"Hey! You still awake?" he asked quietly into the darkness.

"Yes," Emily said, reaching out to turn on the lamp and flooding the room with a muted yellow light. "How'd it go?"

"Everything's fine," Chris said, sitting down on the edge of the bed near her hip.

"They weren't angry?"

"Not after I'd explained everything, no."

Emily heaved a huge sigh of relief. "That's good," she said. "And your Mom? She doesn't think that I'm…"

"Trying to manipulate her precious son into a wholly unsuitable relationship?" Chris remarked with wry amusement. "No, no she doesn't."

Emily smiled. "So we're okay then?" she asked.

"Yeah, we're okay," Chris concurred. "Now I think it's time we both got some sleep, don't you?"

Emily nodded and relaxed back against the pillows as he quietly undressed and used the on-suite bathroom. Ten minutes later, he climbed in bed beside her and she turned over onto her side to face him.

"I've been thinking," she said, "About what you said earlier."

"Which bit?" Chris asked.

"When you said it was too soon to be thinking about moving in together permanently," Emily clarified. "I think you're right. I know you feel like you have to protect me right now, but I've got the crystal shield, Wyatt and Chloe are upstairs and you are only an orb away. Not mention the fact that I have a few magical defences of my own to call upon. I really don't think it's necessary for you to stay over every night, you know."

Chris regarded her steadily for a moment. "Trying to get rid of me, are you?"

"No! No, of course not. It's just we said we wouldn't rush into things, that we'd take it one step at a time. I don't think we should go back on that just because of the circumstances. I want this to work, Chris."

"I know, me too."

"And I'm not Chloe. If you're expecting me to take a back seat now that we're together, then you can think again. She's happy with the way her life is and, as long as Wyatt shows her respect, she's okay with not being too involved in the good versus evil stuff. Me, I'm not like that. My career just doesn't fulfil me in the same way. I need to be actively participating, it's important to me. I'm well aware of the risks, and I'm not going to be reckless, but I won't be wrapped in cotton wool either… What are you smiling at?"

Chris chuckled. "You," he replied, "Being all stern and decisive."

"I'm serious, Chris."

"I know – message understood loud and clear, I promise you. It's just nice that you're not afraid anymore that's all. Of us, I mean."

"I've been a bit of an insecure mess at times, haven't I?" Emily said apologetically.

Chris reached out and pulled her closer. "Yeah," he said, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "But it's okay, I understand why. I'm just glad that you're feeling more comfortable now."

Emily leaned forward and touched her lips to his in a sweet, gentle kiss. "So we're agreed?" she asked. "I don't need a permanent body-guard?"

"All right – just as long as you promise that you'll call for me or Wyatt immediately if anything happens. Don't try to handle it by yourself."

"Okay, I promise," Emily said.

"So – does that mean I'm getting kicked out of bed?" Chris asked, his tone warm and teasing.

Emily snuggled in closer, her hands warm against the bare skin of his torso. "No, I think I can put up with you hogging the covers tonight," she murmured coyly.

Wrapping his arms fully around her, Chris dipped his head and kissed the end of her nose. "Well, that's all right then," he said, his lips now hovering millimetres from hers. "And, for the record, I do not hog the covers."

"Do too," Emily retorted before he silenced her with a kiss…

_**To be continued…**_

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**P.S.** I did think about making Piper all disapproving but, while it would have been more dramatic, I just didn't think it was very true to character. She knows about forbidden love after all, so it made sense that she would understand the dilemma both Chris and Emily had found themselves in.

Anyway, till next time... CharmedBec x


	37. Bachelor and Bachelorettes

**UNREQUITED **

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! New chapter for you. There's some adult banter between our favourite couple in the first scene and the odd bit of innuendo later on, so please be warned.

A lot of different characters appear in the next couple of parts btw. Most of them have been mentioned or have made cameo appearances at some point in the story, but just as a summary so you don't get too confused:

The 'Bachelors' : Wyatt, Chris and Leo; Martin and Daniel (Wyatt's old school friends from LA); Ryan (Bianca's friend Sarah's ex-boyfriend and the one who Emily flirted with to annoy Chris when he danced with Heather at P3); Mark (a witch friend and brother of Grace (see below) who appeared in the chapter that introduced Heather); Sam (a human friend of Wyatt's who appeared in the same chapter); Adam (Prue's boyfriend), and Paul and Nick (Phoebe and Paige's husbands respectively – mentioned in one line many chapters ago!)

'The Bachelorettes' : Chloe, Emily, Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Leann and Bella (Chloe and Emily's Moms); Prue, Kayla and Natalie (Phoebe's daughters); Patty and Amy (Paige's daughters); Grace (sister of Mark mentioned above); Stephanie (girlfriend of Sam mentioned above); Samantha (Emily's friend from LA and sister of Martin); Shelley (another friend from LA and Martin's girlfriend); April (Samantha's roommate); Francie (Chloe's office manager). Plus three new characters: Clare (a friend of Chloe's) and Jodi and Tamara (two friends of Chloe and Emily's from their hometown).

Phew! Got that? No? Oh well, never mind, on with the show…

* * *

**Chapter 37 **

The following morning, Chris stacked the breakfast pots in the dishwasher, then left the kitchen and wandered back through the apartment towards Emily's bedroom.

He found her standing in front of the mirror in the on-suite bathroom, putting the finishing touches to her hair and make-up. Leaning against the doorframe, he watched as she applied a coat of lip-gloss and then moved forward to wrap his arms around her waist from behind.

"Hi!" he breathed warmly in her ear as he nuzzled affectionately at her temple.

"Hi!" she returned softly, leaning back into him and turning her head to receive his offered kiss, her hand rising to curl around the nape of his neck as she did so.

"What?" she asked, when he continued to gaze down into her upturned face, his green eyes intent on hers.

"It's too bad bachelor parties are supposed to be all-male affairs," he said, his lips quirking up into a faint smile as he spoke.

Emily twisted around in his arms so that they were face to face. "Why is that then?" she asked, looping her arms around his neck and moulding her body to his.

Chris lightly trailed his forefinger along the groove of her left collarbone before answering her question; an action that raised goose bumps on her flesh and sent shivers down her spine. "Because I think I'm kind of addicted to a certain female's company right now," he told her in a low tone.

"Well, never mind, it'll give you something to think about when you're _not_ ogling the stripper with the cleavage that defies gravity," she quipped.

Chris laughed. "There isn't going to be a stripper," he said and then frowned. "At least I hope not. I didn't actually think to check to be honest. And I wouldn't put it past Martin and Daniel to come up with something like that," he added, referring to his brother's two oldest friends, whom Emily had met and befriended while she was living in LA.

"No, neither would I," she concurred with a roll of her eyes. "And what do you mean: 'you hope not'?"

"Wyatt'd hate it."

Emily smiled. "Isn't that the general idea?"

"To embarrass and humiliate him - yes. To make him feel that uncomfortable? No. It stops being funny at that point."

Standing on her tiptoes, Emily palmed his face in her hands and kissed him soundly.

"What was that for?" he asked when she released him.

"For being you," she told him with an enigmatic smile.

Chris grinned. "I'm me every day," he said.

"Well, I'm just going to have to kiss you every day then, aren't I?" she returned playfully.

"Hmm well, you'll get no complaints from me on that score," Chris said as he cupped the back of her head in his hand and softly touched his lips to her brow.

Pressing his other hand into the small of her back, he then dipped his head and kissed her full on the lips, his mouth firm but yielding as it moved sensually over hers. The embrace set Emily's pulse to racing and her blood pounding in her ears, such that, by the time he released her, her emotions were in a pleasurable state of disrepair.

"That was so not fair," she declared, pouting accusingly at him.

"Oh? How's that then?" Chris asked ingenuously.

"Like you don't already know," Emily retorted.

"Honey, I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about," Chris claimed, trying to bite back his laughter but not entirely succeeding in the attempt.

"You've just guaranteed that I'm not going to be able to stop thinking about you all day," she accused. "_And_ you know it, Mr I'm-so-Innocent – not!"

"Well, I've gotta make sure of my sure thing, haven't I?" Chris replied cheekily, and then danced back out of reach when she aimed a stinging slap in his direction.

"Watch it mister, or your sure thing'll rapidly turn into a 'not a hope in hell' thing," she told him haughtily.

"And this from the girl who claimed my main function in life was to be her eye candy," the irreverent witch-whitelighter shot back.

"Do you always have to have an answer for everything?" Emily complained good-naturedly.

"Pretty much, yeah," Chris said laughingly, then tugged her close and enveloped her in a warm hug, which she affectionately returned, her arms rising to encircle his back.

"I should get going," he said, planting a soft, wet kiss on the side of her neck as he stepped back. "Are you sure you don't want me to drop you off at the Manor first?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure," she replied. "I do own a car, believe it or not. I didn't always have a boyfriend with his own inbuilt taxi service, you know."

Chris laughed. "All right. Just checking." he said, as he slipped a crooked finger under her chin and lifted her face to kiss her a sweet goodbye. "Have fun today, okay?"

Emily smiled. "I will."

"Oh and Chris?" she said, calling him back as he started to orb out.

"Yes?"

"Your place or mine?"

"For what?" Chris asked with a confused look, not getting the reference straightaway.

"For the sure thing," Emily explained with a wide, beatific smile.

Chris was still chuckling away merrily to himself when he rang the doorbell of his brother's apartment a few minutes later…

**OOOOOO **

**_The Halliwell Manor… _**

"Well, I think that's about everything," Piper said, surveying the heavily laden table before her. She smiled warmly at her future daughter-in-law. "All you need now is the rest of the guests."

"Thanks for this, Piper," Chloe said gratefully. "I know it's not exactly traditional to hold the Shower at the in-law's, but with the wedding in San Francisco, it seemed the most appropriate place."

"Don't worry about it," Piper replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "With two boys, I'm not going to get the chance to host a Bridal Shower for any of my own children, so I don't mind hijacking this one."

Leann Simpson laughed at this. "Just as long as I don't have to supervise the Bachelor party in return," she said.

"No, I think we'll leave that to my husband, don't you?"

"Leo's going along?" Chloe asked in surprise. She thought about it for a moment. "That's good," she decided.

Piper smiled. "Don't relax just yet," she advised. "I think he's only intending to stay for the daylight entertainment – I imagine he'll duck out later on."

"Chris won't give Wyatt too much of a hard time, will he?" Chloe asked worriedly.

Piper pursed her lips as she considered this. "No actually, I think Chris will probably keep things within reasonable limits," she decided. "Especially considering the five-way ear bashing he knows he's going to receive if he oversteps the mark."

"Five-way?"

Piper smiled. "You, me, his Aunts and, probably most significantly… Emily."

Chloe laughed. "Yeah, my cousin can be pretty scary when she wants to be," she agreed.

"That's my girl," Bella Hargreaves said approvingly.

"Unfortunately though, I can't say the same for my son's partners-in-crime," Piper said acidly. "I'm not sure those two boys are ever going to grow up."

"Okay, I don't think I want to hear anymore," Chloe said, covering her ears with her hands to emphasise her point.

"Where is Emily anyway?" Leann asked her daughter. "I thought you said she was coming over to help get things ready for the party."

Chloe looked over at Piper and flickered a wary glance at her Aunt before answering her Mom's question.

"She's probably just running a bit late. Last night was pretty eventful for her – I don't imagine she got to bed that early."

"Did something happen that I should know about?" Bella asked worriedly.

"An unfortunate misunderstanding that's all," Piper replied.

"Bianca caused a bit of a stir at the recital," Chloe explained to her Aunt. "You know who Bianca is, right?"

Bella nodded. "The ex," she said simply.

"Unfortunately, my son had failed to explain a few things to me with regard to their break-up," Piper took over the narrative, "So you can imagine how the situation might have seemed from my point of view."

"Oh, oh I see," Bella said as understanding dawned. "Look, Emily's not…" she went on, quickly leaping to her daughter's defence.

"I know," Piper cut in reassuringly. "As I said, it was a misunderstanding. Everything's fine now so there's no need to worry. Let's just forget about it and enjoy the day, hey?"

The doorbell jangled then and Chloe went to answer it. "That'll be Emily now," she said over her shoulder.

Sure enough, when she opened the door, she found her cousin waiting on the threshold, a square cake box balanced in one hand and a large holdall slung over her other arm.

"Hi!" she said cheerily. "Sorry I'm late. Chris kept distracting me."

"Yeah, I _bet_ he did," Chloe remarked.

"Mind out of the gutter, girl - please!" Emily lamented as she followed her grinning cousin through into the kitchen.

"Hey Mom, Aunt Leann…" she said, and then her gaze fell on Piper and she faltered. It was all very well Chris saying everything was okay now, but what if it wasn't?

If Piper wasn't already predisposed to let bygones be bygones however, she certainly was after witnessing the look of apprehension that crossed the poor girl's face on seeing her. It was obvious that Emily's relationship with Chris was very important to her and anyone who viewed one or other of her boys as something to be treasured was all right in their mother's book.

"Don't worry about it. It's all forgotten," she quietly assured her son's wary girlfriend.

Emily let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks," she said. "I'm sorry we didn't explain the situation sooner."

Piper nodded but chose not to comment further. "Is that the cake?" she asked, deliberately changing the subject instead.

"Umm yeah, I picked it up on the way," Emily said, setting the box down on the countertop.

"What's in the bag?" Chloe asked curiously.

Emily shot her cousin a sly, sidelong glance. "Supplies," she said rather cryptically.

"Okay, so why do I not like the sound of that?"

"I can't possibly imagine!" Emily replied in an airy tone, and then broke into laughter at the look of horror that crossed Chloe's face. "Relax hon – it's not that bad."

Paige orbed into the kitchen with her two daughters in tow then, just as the musical sound of the doorbell rang through the house.

"Behave yourselves while I go and fetch your Aunt Phoebe and cousins," the youngest Charmed One instructed her children in a stern tone, and then vanished in a swirl of blue lights.

"Anybody'd think we were going to start dancing on the table-tops," fifteen-year-old Patty said with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

"Why would we dance on the table-tops?" her eight-year-old sister Amy asked with a puzzled frown.

"My point exactly," Patty replied with heavy emphasis.

Piper wearily shook her head at her niece's drama queen antics – and to think she'd thought teenage boys were bad…

Emily, meanwhile, had gone to admit the guests at the front door and discovered Clare, an old friend of Chloe's from college standing on the doorstep.

"Oh my god, I haven't seen you in like ever!" she exclaimed, giving the studious-looking brunette a delighted hug.

Behind Clare were Grace and Stephanie, part of Wyatt and Chloe's close circle of friends here in San Francisco. All three girls were dressed in their finest and each carried a brightly wrapped package in their hands.

"The Bride-to-Be's in the kitchen if you want to go through," Emily said, ushering them inside and directing them through into the other room.

Turning back to close the door, she spotted Samantha, April and Shelley, her friends from LA, making their way up the front path. Chloe - knowing that Samantha's brother and Shelley's boyfriend, Martin and his best friend, Daniel would be in town for the bachelor party - had invited the three girls along to her Shower, even though she didn't know them all that well. Her face splitting into a wide, beaming smile, Emily bounded down the path to meet them.

"All right, so we want to know everything!" Samantha said after they had all exchanged hugs of greeting.

"Everything about what?"

"Well duh! You and Chris of course," Shelley cut in. "I can't believe you didn't tell us."

"There was nothing to tell," Emily protested.

"Oh please!" April said with a roll of her eyes. "I always knew you were like totally in love with him."

"Oh, you so did not!" Samantha accused her roommate.

"All right so I didn't know exactly," April admitted, "But I knew there was something… She couldn't say his name without getting all flustered."

"That's what you were so down about when you first moved to LA, wasn't it?" Samantha guessed shrewdly.

Emily nodded. "It seems such a long time ago now," she said in a reflective tone.

"So is it true what they say then?" Samantha asked.

"What?" Emily queried.

"That good things come to those who wait," her friend replied with a wink and a brilliant smile.

Emily giggled, her cheeks flushing a rosy pink as pleasant memories of Chris's dizzying kisses that morning resurfaced. "Yeah, I reckon so," she said, trying – and failing – to conceal the self-satisfied smirk that tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Don't do that," April complained with a mock frown.

"Don't do what?" Emily asked.

"Remind me that I'm the only one not getting any," April answered with her usual bluntness. "Things are so bad right now that I've had to resort to Daniel as a wedding date."

"And of course that's such a hardship for you," Shelley cut in slyly.

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing, nothing at all," Shelley replied with an innocent air. "Come on, April – you know he likes you," she added in a more serious tone.

"She likes him too," Samantha put in helpfully.

"Samantha!" her friend protested.

"Well you do! I don't see what your problem is."

"It's just a bit weird, you know?" April said. "We've been friends since third grade and I'm not sure it's a good idea for us to step out of that comfort zone. What if it all goes wrong?"

"And what if it all goes right?" Samantha countered.

"Hey guys!" Chloe's voice sounded from the Manor doorway. "Are you going to stand out there talking all day? Or are you going to come in and join the party?"

"Does Wyatt know she's such a disciplinarian?" Shelley enquired teasingly as they made their way into the house.

Emily laughed. "Well, if he doesn't already, he's soon going to," she replied.

"Is that everyone then?" Piper asked as they rejoined the rest of the party in the lounge.

"Not quite," Chloe said, quickly scanning the room to check on numbers. "There's Francie, my office manager, plus Jodi and Tamara, our friends from Oakenvale still to come."

"Do you know when Jodi and Tamara's flight was getting in?" she asked her mother and Aunt.

"Last night, I think," Leann replied. "I gave them the address on Tuesday."

"I should have gotten Wyatt to orb them here this morning like he did with you and Aunt Bella," Chloe said with a worried frown.

"Honey, he's the groom," her mother protested. "He can't be orbing all the out of town guests to San Francisco at a drop of a hat. It won't hurt them to catch a flight. I heard Jodi and Tamara are planning to make a vacation of it anyway. Your wedding's probably just another tourist stop for them."

Chloe laughed. "Mom!"

"So your friends know about your witchly status then?" Paige asked with interest.

Chloe nodded. "The ones who are coming to the wedding do, yes," she replied. "Jodi's a witch herself and Tamara's known the truth about us since seventh grade. As for Francie – I hired her because I needed someone I could trust to help run the business and I sensed that she'd be open to my type of 'alternative therapy'. She hasn't disappointed me on either count."

"I'm sorry you've not been able to invite more of your friends," Piper said, somewhat regretfully. "But a Halliwell wedding is rarely a magic-free zone and, unfortunately, I don't think this one is going to be an exception to that rule."

"It's okay, it's not like I didn't know what I was getting myself into," Chloe assured her. "And besides, all my real friends know the truth anyway. Anyone who doesn't is more of a friendly acquaintance to be honest, so not inviting them is easily explained away by the fact that we're keeping the guest list to just close friends and family."

Ten minutes later, when the rest of the guests had arrived and everyone was supplied with glasses of champagne - or orange juice in the case of the younger members of the party; Emily decided it was time to reveal what was in the bag that she had brought with her.

"I'm not wearing those!" Chloe protested, staring aghast at the Alice band adorned with two glittery stars, which bobbed like antennae on the end of two rigid coils of spring. Emily had fixed a short veil to the band, as well as buying a large, plastic badge that proclaimed the lucky wearer to be a 'Wife in Training.'

"Oh course you are," Emily said firmly, plonking the tacky accessory on top of her reluctant cousin's head. "It's traditional."

**OOOOOO **

**_A few hours later… _**

"You're trying to lull me into a false sense of security, aren't you?" Wyatt asked, leaning in to speak quietly in his brother's ear as the two of them waited for their turn on the Go-Karting track.

Chris grinned. "Now, what makes you say that?"

"Twenty odd years of experience," the blond witch-whitelighter remarked dryly.

Chris laughed. "Today isn't just about humiliating you, you know," he said. "It's supposed to be a celebration of your last day of freedom, remember? Fun must therefore be had by all – including the Groom."

"Right – so that means you're going to let me win then?" Wyatt asked, nodding towards the racetrack where Daniel had just won the second of their heats amid tumultuous whistles and shouts of appreciation from the sidelines.

"Not on your life," his brother returned. "Victory must be earned or it doesn't taste half as sweet."

"Not that I actually need an unfair advantage of course," Wyatt went on, a distinctly competitive edge creeping into his tone.

"Oo – fighting talk," Chris responded. "Well, if that's the case, I'm not going to make it easy for you." He turned and waved their friend Ryan forward to take his place in the next race.

"See you in the final, bro," he added meaningfully as Wyatt, along with Ryan, their Uncle Paul and Prue's boyfriend Adam made their way down to the starting line.

"Count on it, buddy," Wyatt called back as he climbed into his Go-Kart and experimentally revved the engine.

The starting pistol went off and the four Go-Karts accelerated away from the line with a roar, quickly gathering speed as they careened down the first straight and screeched around the first corner.

"Hey! Dumb and Dumber?" Chris called, beckoning Martin and Daniel over. "You two haven't got anything planned for today, have you?"

"Like what?" Martin asked innocently.

"Oh, I dunno – a stripper maybe?"

Daniel laughed. "No – we're saving _that_ for your bachelor party. I don't think Mr Ultra-Conservative out there would be too appreciative of the gesture, do you?"

Chris grinned. "Ultra-Conservative might be going a bit far, but no, he definitely wouldn't."

"And we're hurt that you don't trust us to know that," Martin said, adopting an air of faux offence.

"Well, after some of the stunts you've pulled over the years, you can hardly blame me, can you?" Chris said acidly.

"I've no idea how we ended up with such a reputation, do you?" Martin enquired of his best friend.

Daniel solemnly shook his head, his expression effortlessly artless. "Not a clue," he replied, tongue in cheek.

Chris rolled his eyes skyward. "I give up," he lamented. "Yay! Go bro!" he called out, distracted as the four racers completed their third lap of the track with Wyatt now clearly in the lead.

Turning away from his two cheering friends, Chris then wandered over to join Leo, who was standing nearby talking to Paige's husband, Nick.

"So Dad, do you reckon you can you handle the competition?" he enquired, playfully bumping his shoulder against his father's. "Father against son, it'll be quite a showdown."

"I think I've resigned myself to coming a resounding last," Leo said woefully and Nick laughed.

"Can't keep up with the young 'uns, hey Leo?"

"He's not the only one," Chris put in cheekily, nodding to where Phoebe's husband, Paul was trailing the rest of the pack by a considerable margin.

Nick, in contrast, had managed a respectable second in the first heat, only narrowly beaten by Martin in the end. Of course, the fact that Go-Karting had been a hobby of his for years did give him a distinct advantage over the rest of his generation.

After Wyatt had cruised to an easy victory in his heat and Chris had done the same in the last, the final line-up was decided, and the two brothers took up their places either side of their school friends.

"May the best man win," Daniel declared as he buckled up his safety helmet.

"That was the intention," Chris called out with aplomb, "But thanks for the sentiment anyway."

"That isn't what I meant!" Daniel protested as Wyatt and Martin broke into laughter at his unintentional pun.

"You said 'may the best man win'," Chris pointed out pedantically. "That's me."

"Best man you may be – comedian you're not," Daniel retorted acerbically. "Prepare to get your ass well and truly kicked, buddy."

"False confidence always was your forte, Dan," Chris shot back with a strong sense of bravado. "You won't see me for dust, mate!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah – ten dollars says I cross that finish line before you."

"Ten dollars! You call that a bet? I think we should compete for something more substantial, don't you?"

"Like what?"

"Umm, let me think… a kiss from that lovely girl of yours maybe?" Daniel jested mischievously.

Chris scoffed. "Dream on, buster!"

Daniel laughed. "All right – she'd probably deck me for trying anyway."

"And _that's_ a fact," Wyatt cut in meaningfully.

"Yeah well, weird taste – that girl," Daniel went on airily.

"Oh and you're so funny – not!" Chris responded, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Don't sweat it, Chris," Martin interjected. "He has his sights set on someone else anyway."

"He does?" Wyatt turned and looked enquiringly at his friend. "Like who?"

"Thanks," Daniel said to Martin, his lips twisting into a wry grimace.

"Don't mention it," the other man responded, not sounding the least bit contrite at having spilled his friend's secrets.

"So, are you bringing this mystery girl to the wedding then?" Chris asked with interest.

"Kind of," Daniel replied evasively.

"How can you 'kind of' bring someone?" Wyatt asked.

"When it's April," Martin explained. "And he failed to mention that she was his first choice of date, rather than a last resort."

Chris's green eyes widened in surprise. "You're kidding me, right? April?"

"What's wrong with that?" Daniel demanded.

"Nothing! It's just… wow! I'd never have thought."

"Yeah well, you and me both," Daniel admitted frankly. "It just sort of happened when I wasn't looking."

"So are you going to tell her?" Wyatt asked.

"I don't know; I haven't decided yet. She's my friend, first and foremost, and I don't want to jeopardise that."

"It takes some getting used to, but it's worth it in the end," Chris assured him.

"You and Emily are different though."

"How?"

"Well there's always been something between you, hasn't there? Only you weren't free to act upon it because of Bianca, so you had to settle for friendship instead."

"It was a little more complicated than that, but I suppose that's partly true, yes," Chris admitted.

"So when you got together, it wasn't like you were changing the nature of a long-established relationship, was it? You were just taking the first step along a road that you hadn't been able to go down before."

"You can't let fear of the unknown get in the way of living your life though, Dan," Wyatt said wisely. "Look at me – if I hadn't taken the risk, I wouldn't have Chloe in my life and be getting married to her next week. I'd be alone and miserable instead, still believing that every woman was out to play me like Tara did."

Daniel shook his head with a wry smile. "You know, you're really annoying when you do the whole whitelighter advice thing," he complained ruefully.

"It is kind of spooky," Chris agreed. "It's like he's channelling Dad sometimes, I swear."

"Oi!" Ryan yelled from the sidelines. "Will you four get on with it already? Or were you intending to gossip like women all day instead?

Taking the hint, Chris looked over at Daniel again. "Thirty dollars," he offered.

"Fifty," the other witch immediately countered.

"You're on!" Chris agreed, then slammed down the visor of his safety helmet and prepared to do battle…

**OOOOOO **

**_Back at the Manor… _**

"Okay, so truth or dare?" Grace asked the Bride-to-Be, a playful glint in her eye.

"Umm… truth," Chloe decided.

"All right, so let's see," Grace said, taking the next card from the pack. "Oo – good one!"

"Oh no!" Chloe said in dismay.

"Oh yes," her friend replied with obvious enjoyment. "So – what do you find most physically attractive about your partner?"

Chloe giggled and blushed as she shot a quick glance at Piper. "His eyes," she carefully replied.

"Uh-huh – strike out!" Stephanie cut in. "The truth please, missy."

"I can't answer that in present company, Steph!" Chloe protested, her cheeks on fire with embarrassment.

"Well, you're just going to have to take a forfeit then," her friend told her unsympathetically.

"No, no. All right – I'll answer the question. He err…" Chloe buried her flaming face in her hands, refusing to look anyone in the eye. "He has a cute butt," she admitted from between her fingers.

"Hmm – an attribute his brother most definitely shares," Emily mused to herself and then started violently, her blue eyes widening in alarm.

"And I said that out loud, didn't I?" she said as the room erupted into laughter at her blunder.

"A butt they inherited from their father, huh Piper?" Phoebe remarked with a sly wink.

"Phoebe!" Piper chastised her sister. "These are my _sons _we're talking about!"

"Really? I thought we were talking about Leo. And I seem to recall you admiring that particular part of his anatomy when he was posing as our handyman all those years ago too."

"Yeah well, I wasn't the only one, was I?" Piper retorted.

"Eew Mom! You didn't hit on Uncle Leo, did you?" her middle daughter, Kayla exclaimed.

"Did she ever," Piper said fervently and Paige laughed.

"Phoebe, I'm shocked!" she told her sister. "How could you?"

"Well, he _was_ cute. Too bad he only had eyes for Piper."

"That's so gross!" Kayla said with a shudder.

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Kids!"

"Speaking of…" Paige rose to her feet to go and check on eight year old Amy, who had been banished to the conservatory at the start of the 'truth and dare' game.

Once she learned that she would be allowed to watch her favourite movie, the little girl hadn't kicked up too much of a fuss at being banned from the room. 'Mindy, the Ice Queen' was way more interesting than a stupid party game in her opinion. She was going to make it to the World Junior Figure Skating championships like Mindy one day; she just knew it.

"Mommy – can we go to the ice rink tomorrow?" she asked when her mother entered the room.

"Sure thing, honey," Paige said, leaning over the back of the sofa to drop a gentle kiss on the top of her daughter's head. "So how's Mindy doing?"

"She fluffed the double axle just now," Amy told her seriously. "But it's okay, if she skates well tomorrow, she can still make it to the Nationals."

Paige smiled. "Well, that's good. I'll keep my fingers crossed for her then."

"Mommy! It's just a movie," Amy said with a roll of her eyes. "Everybody knows she wins in the end."

Paige laughed. "Well, there's a surprise," she said, affectionately ruffling her little girl's hair. "Be good munchkin, okay?" she said, turning to leave the room.

"Okay Mommy."

"I don't see why we can't go too," her niece Natalie was complaining when she re-entered the lounge.

"Yeah," Natalie's older sister, Kayla nodded in agreement. "It's not fair that we get excluded."

"Yeah," Patty added her two cents worth to the argument as well.

"Missy, after your little escapade a couple of weeks ago, you're not going anywhere near P3," Phoebe told a pouting Natalie.

"And that goes for you too," Paige reiterated to her own daughter.

"And you," Phoebe informed Kayla, hammering home the point.

"But Prue's going," the three girls immediately protested.

"Prue is an adult," Phoebe reminded them. "And I don't want to hear anymore," she added, holding up her hand to ward off any further objections. "You're all too young and that's final. Tonight is for over eighteens only, so get used to it."

"Sorry," Chloe apologised when the trio of girls had retreated into a huffy huddle. "I thought it'd be nice to invite them for the first half of the party. It didn't occur to me that they wouldn't be too enamoured about having to leave early."

"Sweetie, it was a lovely idea," Paige assured her. "And this is your day, okay? So don't you let them ruin it for you. They'll get over the melodramatic temper tantrum soon enough, I promise you."

"Yeah – I predict it'll be over and done with in err… say fifteen minutes," Phoebe said, glancing at her watch. "That's when we leave for the beauty salon, right?"

Chloe smiled. "Nothing like a free manicure to put the smile back on their faces, right?"

"How did you guess?"

**OOOOOO **

**_Later that evening… _**

"I still reckon you cheated," Daniel grumbled.

"Hey, you snooze, you lose," Chris told him as he led the group of men to their next destination, his winnings still safely tucked inside his shirt pocket.

They'd just enjoyed dinner at a restaurant downtown and were now headed towards a newly opened Comedy Club that Chris had heard good things about. On leaving the restaurant, they'd bid farewell to the 'old folks' as Chris had so flatteringly described his father and two Uncles, all of whom had outgrown this kind of nightlife years ago, preferring to relax in surroundings where they could actually hear themselves think.

"I would like to point out that it was me who won the race," Wyatt cut in. "Second and third place don't count."

"They do when there's a bet on," his brother said, "Which I won fair and square, I might add."

Sam, Wyatt's human friend, laughed. "Geez! You're never gonna let it go, are you?"

"Doesn't look like," Mark, another of their friends concurred.

Chris grinned. "Gotta make the most of it or what's the point?" he quipped.

"Where is this Club anyway?" Ryan asked.

"Right about there," Chris said, pointing out the yellow and blue neon sign on a building across the street.

"You got us priority tickets, right?" Martin asked as they crossed the road.

"Yep," Chris said, brandishing said tickets in the air. "Well, Mom did anyway. We're VIP guests for the night."

Ten minutes later, they had made it inside the noisy establishment and were wending their way through the crowds towards a table near the front, which gave them a perfect view of the stage.

"Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding me," Wyatt said, when the billboard announcing the list of performers caught his eye.

"'Fraid not," his brother replied, obviously immensely pleased with himself for some reason.

"What?" Martin asked and then laughed when he realised what had attracted Wyatt's attention. "Oh, that's just classic!"

"People like that are mostly charlatans, you know," Wyatt warned them.

"Not this one," Chris said, his green eyes alight with mischief. "He's the genuine article by all accounts."

"It doesn't matter if he is – I'm perfectly capable of resisting that kind of mind control, thank you very much."

"He does have a point there, Chris," Daniel said.

"Which I took care of," the dark-haired witch-whitelighter replied, holding up an empty potion bottle between his thumb and forefinger.

"What is that?" Wyatt demanded suspiciously.

"Just a little something to err… relax your inhibitions, shall we say?"

"You spiked my drink!" Wyatt was incensed.

"Pretty much, yeah," Chris admitted without a trace of remorse. "And I think you'll find a few of your powers have gone a little haywire as a result. Should have been a bit more observant at the restaurant earlier, shouldn't you?"

"Chris look," Wyatt said, serious now. "What happens if we're attacked by demons or something?"

"I brought the antidote, dumbass," Chris said, a little snappily. "What do you think I am? Stupid?"

"All right, I'm sorry," Wyatt apologised. "I just… Oh, you are so going to pay for this!"

Chris slapped him comradely on the back. "Just relax and enjoy, bro," he advised calmly. "Relax and enjoy…"

**_To be continued… _**

**

* * *

A/N2:** Yeah I know, I didn't tell you what Chris's joke was! There are some hints there though so you might be able to guess. Otherwise, all will be revealed in the next chapter, I promise :-) 

Oh and btw, 'Mindy, the Ice Queen' is a completely made-up movie, although I have seen several with similar plotlines.

CharmedBec x


	38. The GateCrashers

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Sorry this took so long. I've been suffering from a major case of writer's block for the last few weeks. Anyhow, got over it now so here (finally!) is the next chapter. It's sort of Part 2 of the previous chapter so you might want to re-read that one first to refresh your memories. It's also a little bit sappy in places, but this part and the last were meant to be fun and relatively light-hearted, a breather before all the drama starts… ;-)

**

* * *

Chapter 38 **

"I swear, I haven't laughed so much in ages!" Martin declared as he and the rest of the Wyatt's bachelor party burst out of the noisy, sweaty Club into the cooler night air.

"I know me too!" Ryan agreed, grinning at their chagrined friend with undisguised glee. "Imagine - the all-powerful Wyatt Halliwell completely at the mercy of some else's spell. I never thought I'd live to see that day."

"I'm glad you all found my humiliation so amusing," Wyatt remarked acidly.

Daniel laughed. "Come on, Wyatt. Even you have to admit, it was funny. Nice one, Chris." He punched the grinning witch-whitelighter on the arm in congratulations. "I don't think me and Martin could have come up with anything better."

"Well, apart from the stripper we hired for later of course," he added in an offhand tone.

"Please tell me that's some kind of not very funny joke," Wyatt demanded plaintively.

"Yeah, but it was worth it just to see the look of horror on your face," Daniel said laughingly, and then dodged out the way as Wyatt reached out to cuff him upside the head.

"Okay so you've had your bit of fun," the elder Halliwell said, insistently crooking his fingers at his triumphant brother, "Hand over the antidote."

Chris grinned and then reached in his pocket for the bottle of opaque blue liquid. "So how much are you willing to pay?" he asked, teasingly bouncing the glass container in the centre of his palm.

"That depends on which part of your anatomy you're prepared to lose," his brother countered threateningly.

Chris laughed and then relented, smashing the little bottle at his sibling's feet. It exploded with a puff of bright blue smoke and Wyatt felt something shift inside him as his scrambled powers realigned themselves.

"Mom'd throw a fit if she knew you'd done that," he said.

"Yeah well, what she doesn't know won't hurt her, will it?" Chris replied nonchalantly. "And besides, I got Emily to help me with the potion to reduce the possibility of unforeseen side effects."

Wyatt's eyebrows rose to his hairline. "And she agreed to this, did she?" he asked.

"Well, she didn't exactly know what I was intending to use it for," Chris admitted. "I told her it'd be a good thing to have in a fight."

"You are in _so_ much trouble when she finds out," Wyatt remarked sagely.

"Quite probably," his brother agreed with an incline of his head, "But it was worth it, don't you think?"

"Can't disagree there," Martin said.

"Utterly priceless!" Ryan concurred.

"Made my day," Adam went on.

"My week!" Daniel decided.

"And I recorded it all for posterity," Sam finished, brandishing his miniature cine-cam in the air.

"And I wish I had different friends," Wyatt bemoaned in a tragic tone, making them all laugh.

"All right so where to next?" Ryan asked. "The night is still young, boys. And – some of at least – are still footloose and fancy-free."

"What about P3?" Martin suggested. "I haven't been there for ages. I think the last time was Chris's twenty-first birthday bash."

"We can't," Wyatt said. "It's closed for Chloe's Bridal Shower."

"Okay, so let me get this straight," Daniel said. "Your Mom gave birth to you, and yet she's letting your fiancée have free reign of her Club for the night. That doesn't seem very fair now, does it?"

"No, it doesn't," Martin agreed. "This definitely calls for a little gate-crashing if you ask me. I mean your Mom really ought to have her priorities straight, Wyatt."

"Well, I'm game if everyone else is," Chris decided, and then looked expectantly at his brother "Wyatt?"

His brother thought about it for a moment before smiling broadly. "Let's do it!"

**OOOOOO**

**_23:00, P3 nightclub…_**

"You know this time next week I'll be a married lady," Chloe said conspiratorially to Jodi and Tamara, her two friends from Oakenvale. "Mrs Halliwell no less. Weird huh?"

"You're not getting cold feet, are you?" Jodi asked with a smile.

Chloe reached down to check this out. "No, they're still warm. See?" She lifted her foot so her friends could confirm her diagnosis.

Tamara laughed. "I think someone's had a little bit too much champagne," she said in a singsong tone.

"No kidding," Jodi remarked drolly with an exaggerated roll of her eyes.

"Don't be silly, I'm just fine," Chloe assured them, her words slurring together slightly.

"Oi! No men allowed!" she called out when she spotted the interlopers confidently making their way down the stairs as if they had every right to be there. Getting rather unsteadily to her feet, she moved to bar their path, but ended up tripping over an invisible obstacle instead.

"Whoa!" Wyatt said, catching her around the waist and effortlessly breaking her fall. "Having fun?" he asked, smiling down into her slightly unfocused eyes.

"I think I might be a little bit tipsy," Chloe admitted with a decidedly girlish giggle.

"Really and I hadn't noticed a thing," Wyatt quipped dryly.

Leaning back against his supporting arm, Chloe blinked owlishly up at him as she tried to focus her blurry gaze on his face. "You're crashing my party," she informed him solemnly.

"That was the general idea, yes," Wyatt said as he reached out and touched two fingers to the centre of her forehead.

The digits glowed yellow for a brief second and the alcoholic fuzz in Chloe's brain lifted somewhat. "Isn't that personal gain?" she asked with a smile.

Wyatt shrugged. "Yours not mine," he said. "Besides it's my Bachelor party – I don't think Mother Nature'll mind if I break the rules just this once."

Spearing her fingers through his short, blond hair, Chloe brought his face down to hers and kissed him. "So how was your day?" she asked when they broke apart. "I'm glad to see you've not been stripped naked and abandoned at the top of the Golden Gate Bridge or something."

Wyatt chuckled. "There wouldn't be much point, seeing as I could orb out whenever I wanted to," he said.

"What? You mean to tell me that Chris isn't capable of casting an anti-orbing spell?"

"Oh no – he's much more inventive than that."

"Yeah?"

"Unfortunately so," Wyatt replied with a grimace.

"So what was it then?"

"A power scrambling potion."

Chloe frowned. "For what purpose?" she asked in puzzlement. "And isn't that kind of dangerous?"

"So that I couldn't resist," Wyatt replied. "And yes, I suppose it is if you don't get the antidote right. He had expert help on that score though."

"Oh?"

"From a certain potion-maker cousin of yours."

"WHAT?" Chloe was outraged.

"She didn't actually know she was helping of course," Wyatt clarified.

Chloe stared at him for a moment and then shook her head with a laugh. "He is so dead."

"I know," Wyatt said sadistically. "I'm looking forward to it."

Chloe smiled. "All right so what _did_ he do to you?"

"Volunteered me as a victim in a Stage Hypnotist show, would you believe? Being forced to dance the Funky Chicken in front of an audience of several hundred people is not my idea of entertainment, I can tell you. Everyone else seemed to enjoy it though."

Chloe covered her mouth with her hand, trying to stifle her laughter. "Well, it could have been worse, I suppose," she said.

"It's not funny, Chloe!"

Chloe laughed. "Oh come on – I bet it was a little bit funny."

"I think you need some more tuition," Wyatt said, flicking his fingers at her 'Wife in Training' badge. "I don't think you've quite got the hang of the unswerving loyalty aspect of the job yet."

Chloe shrugged. "Ah well, I've still got a week to swot up and, if all else fails, I could always bribe the examiner. I hear he's open to that kind of thing."

"Oh, is he now?

"Well, you tell me – he's someone you know pretty well, isn't he?"

"We've been known to cross paths occasionally, yes."

"So, what do you reckon, do you think he'd go for it?"

"I think there's a strong possibility that he might," Wyatt replied, "Provided you make it worth his while of course. He doesn't give away extra credit for nothing, you know."

Chloe looked steadily back at him, her expression mildly disapproving, and he laughed. "Well, you did ask," he told her.

"Mmm," was Chloe's only response and then she laughed and smiled brightly at him, unable to stay annoyed with him for long.

"Come and say hi to Jodi and Tamara," she said, taking his hand and leading him over towards her friends. "They're dying to meet you…"

**OOOOO**

"Hey! Emily!"

Emily turned at the sound of her name being called and was immediately enveloped in a bear hug. "Hey Martin! Good to see you," she said, lifting her arms to return his friendly embrace.

Martin stepped back and Daniel moved forward to repeat the gesture. "Damn girl!" he said when he released her. "You're looking hot tonight."

Emily blushed a little at the compliment, her hands involuntarily moving to smooth down the front of her floaty, rainbow-hued dress. The thin-strapped garment was gathered loosely under her breasts, while the swirling skirt fell to just above the knee. The gauzy material was decorated with diagonal stripes of colour, the pastel shades bold and yet tastefully muted at the same time. The dress was cut in a style that flattered her slim but curvy figure beautifully, while high-heeled sandals and a silver, teardrop pendant added the final accent that completed the look.

"Should have fought harder to secure that kiss, I reckon," Daniel went on, "Except Mr Spoilsport here," He jerked his thumb at Chris, who had just joined them, "Wouldn't agree to those terms. He insisted on competing for a fifty-dollar stake instead. How unreasonable is that?"

Emily smiled. "Dan – I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about, but, believe me, I wouldn't kiss _you_ for any amount of money. Bet or no bet."

"Now, that's not a very nice thing to say, is it?" Daniel protested with a put-upon look, while both Chris and Martin laughed at Emily's quick-witted comeback.

Emily turned her attention to her boyfriend then. "Hey you!" she greeted him warmly, stepping forward and hooking an arm around his neck to pull him close.

"Hey you!" Chris returned, catching her around the waist and bending to place a soft, gentle kiss on her upturned lips.

Her other arm rising to join its partner, Emily immediately deepened the embrace, her eyes closing and her lips parting under his as their mouths fused and slid sweetly against each other.

"Okay so you two _really_ need to get a room," Daniel said in mock disgust.

Emily felt Chris smile into their kiss and she giggled, breaking off their embrace but staying within the circle of his arms. "You're just jealous," she told their friend.

"Hell yeah! Do you know how long it's been since anyone has kissed me like that?"

"Well, play your cards right and I think there's a certain someone who might just volunteer," Emily said with a sly wink.

"W-w-what?" Daniel asked warily, his confident manner disappearing in an instant. How the hell did she know?

Martin laughed at the horrified expression on his best friend's face. "You _are _kind of obvious, buddy," he said, slapping his friend on the back. "You didn't honestly expect my little sister – Miss I-love-to-Match-Make not to notice, did you?"

"But April…"

"Agreed to go to the wedding with you," Emily pointed out. "She's just a bit nervous about what this means for your friendship, that's all," she explained. "That doesn't mean that she doesn't want things to change between you though. Just tell her how you feel."

"It's not that easy."

"Of course it is," Emily said.

"If that's the case, then why did you run away to LA rather telling Chris how you felt about him?" Daniel retorted, his inner turmoil making him uncharacteristically abrasive.

"That was different," Emily said, her expression becoming shuttered and her tone taciturn. "He had a girlfriend. It wasn't appropriate and it's non of your damn business anyway!"

"Yeah well, this isn't any of yours so keep your pretty little nose out, all right?"

With that, Daniel turned on his heel and marched away from them. There was a short, awkward pause and then Martin threw an apologetic look at his two friends.

"Look, just ignore him," he advised. "He didn't mean it; he's just a bit touchy when it comes to April that's all. I don't think he really knows what to do for the best. She blows hot and cold on him all the time, you see."

"You don't have to apologise for him, Martin," Emily said quietly.

"I know I don't. It's just…" Martin broke off and sighed. "Look – I should go and find him. Make sure he doesn't go off the deep end and get drunk or, even worse, try to chat up the first available female he lays eyes on. I swear I just want to bang his and April's heads together sometimes. Why they can't just talk honestly to each other about this, I'll never know."

"Are you okay?" Chris asked his girlfriend when Martin had left in search of Daniel.

Emily nodded. "Yeah, I just don't like to think about that time too much, you know? It's painful and I'm not proud of what I did. Falling in love with someone else's man, I mean."

"I thought we agreed that you were going to stop feeling guilty about that," Chris reminded her pointedly.

Emily looked at him sheepishly, her blue eyes contrite. "Yeah, we did. I'm sorry. I'm doing the martyr thing again, aren't I?"

"Just a little bit," Chris replied, "But I'm prepared to let it slide if you come and dance with me."

Emily smiled as he took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor. "What's the matter?" she queried as he tugged her into arms. "Wasn't the Bachelor Party entertaining enough for you?"

Chris looked down at her, a hint of a smile forming on his lips. "The Bachelor Party was just fine, but I wouldn't slow dance with my brother for anyone."

As the sparkle of Emily's laughter filled his ears and the familiar scent of her perfume teased his nostrils, Chris had to admit that gate crashing the Bridal Shower had been the best idea anyone had come up with all evening. The male-only posse was all well and good, he supposed, but they didn't keep you warm at night, did they? Emily, on the other hand, was a completely different matter, and right now, caught in the first flush of love and with the object of that affection held securely in his arms, he couldn't have been happier…

**OOOOO**

_**Forty-five minutes later…**_

"I owe them an apology, don't I?" Daniel said as he sat down beside his best friend.

"If you mean Chris and Emily, then yeah, you do," Martin replied. "And you need to sort things out with April too. This has gone on long enough, Dan. It's time for some straight-talking between the two of you, don't you think?"

Daniel sighed. "Yeah, I know. It's just… how the hell did I get myself into this mess?"

Martin smiled. "You finally opened your eyes and saw what's been right in front of your face for a long time," he replied. "Look – we're in San Francisco for the week, this seems as good a time as any to bite the bullet and finally go for it. I'm told women are especially receptive to that kind of thing when there's a wedding taking place."

Daniel laughed at his friend's tongue-in-cheek remark. "And what about you and Shelley?"

"What about us?"

"You've been together for nearly five years now," Daniel pointed out. "Are the happy couple giving _you_ ideas?"

"Nah, we're too young to get married."

"I hate to break it to you, buddy, but we're the same age as Wyatt. _And _we'll be thirty in three years."

Martin shuddered. "Don't remind me," he said. "As for Shelley and me, we've never really felt the need to make things official. That doesn't mean we're not committed to each other though."

"Glad to hear it," his girlfriend's voice sounded from behind him.

Martin looked up and smiled as she joined them. "You don't want to get married, do you?" he asked.

"If that's what you call a proposal, babe, then the answer's definitely no," Shelley teased before she turned serious. "I don't know – I guess after Mom and Dad..."

She trailed off with a sigh. Martin slid an arm across her shoulders and tugged her into his side, knowing how her parent's bitter divorce had affected her, how it affected her still, almost ten years on.

"… I'm kind of cynical about marriage," she continued. "As far as I'm concerned it isn't proof positive of love or commitment. I do understand why two people would want to take those vows though, and I know Wyatt and Chloe are taking it seriously so I'm genuinely happy for them. I'm just too bitter and twisted to want that for myself, I guess."

Martin pressed a kiss to the top of her head. It was funny how he just knew. That him proposing would freak her out rather than delight her. He knew that she loved him and that she viewed him as a permanent fixture in her life, but he understood why she was so scared of becoming his wife, of becoming anyone's wife in fact. It should bother him, but it didn't. They were together and that was all that mattered right now. The rest would come later when all those nagging inner demons had been exorcised.

"Sorry," Daniel apologised. "I seem to be making a habit of bringing up awkward subjects tonight."

Shelley smiled at his rueful tone. "Well, you've never been Mr Diplomatic, have you?" she said. "And don't worry about it, Martin knows my irrational hang-ups have nothing to do with the way I feel about him. Well, at least I think he does…"

She looked questionably up into her boyfriend's face just to make certain. Martin dropped a kiss on the end of her nose. "I know," he assured her.

"So who else have you been putting your foot in it with then?" Shelley enquired of their friend.

"Emily mainly, but Chris too, I guess."

"In what way?"

"That's not important," Daniel said and Shelley felt her boyfriend's arm tighten around her in a wordless signal of warning.

'_Okay so something to do with April then_,' she silently concurred as Daniel continued with his deliberately vague explanation. "… I just owe them an apology that's all. Can you see them anywhere?"

Shelley quickly scanned the room and then grinned. "I think they're otherwise occupied," she said lightly, spotting the young couple entwined tightly around each other on one of the sofas in the darkened VIP area of the Club.

"Chris does _know_ his Mom's like fifty metres away, doesn't he?" Daniel remarked with wry humour.

"Not to mention Emily's," Martin pointed out with a laugh. "He's a braver man than me, that's for sure."

"I think they'd appreciate it if your apology waited a while," Shelley told Daniel with heavy emphasis.

"Yeah, I bet they would," he replied. "Geez! Are they actually planning on coming up for air anytime soon?"

Across the room, Paige glanced sideways at her sister and smiled. "Well, at least you know he knows how to kiss," she quipped lightly, noting the look of faint disapproval on Piper's face as she observed her youngest son's rather exuberant – not to mention public – display of affection towards his girlfriend.

"Paige!" Piper admonished, throwing a look of apology at Bella Hargreaves, who sat across the booth from her and her sisters with Chloe's Mom, Leann beside her.

Emily's Mom however, simply smiled congenially back at her in return. "I don't see my daughter putting up much resistance," she remarked with quiet aplomb.

Leann laughed. "Oh to be young again, huh?"

"We _are_ young," Bella protested. "Just a little worn around the edges is all."

"And a bit beyond making out in public nowadays," Phoebe cut in with a smile. "Something that neither of my nephews has any qualms about apparently!" she added laughingly as Wyatt bent to kiss Chloe out on the dancefloor.

"I swear I've brought up a pair of Lotharios," Piper lamented.

"No, you haven't," Phoebe said. "You've brought up a pair of young men who know how to love, who aspire to the same kind of relationship that their parents have always had."

"Stop it! You're making me blush," Piper said, feeling her cheeks glow pink in response to her sister's rather emphatic endorsement of her parenting skills, not to mention the success of her marriage.

Phoebe smiled at her sister's embarrassed discomfiture. "You really don't know how to take a compliment, you know that Piper?" she said. "You should meet some of the dates that my daughters have brought home, then maybe you'll understand how great your boys are. Okay so they're not perfect, but, for the most part, they're fun-loving, kind, respectful human beings. They wouldn't dream of messing a girl around and that's what counts. You should be proud of them."

Piper glowed. "I can't take all the credit," she said. "I think their father might also have had something to do with the way they turned out."

"Not forgetting their utterly fantastic and ultra-cool Aunts," Paige put in.

Piper laughed. "All right so this orgy of self-congratulation is getting a bit much, don't you think? If you want to know the truth, most of the time I just made it up as I went along."

"Didn't we all?" Leann said, "If you ask me though, your child getting married is the perfect time to reflect on the minor miracle of them turning out okay despite all that."

Piper nodded, her eyes seeking out her son and future daughter-in-law on the dance-floor. "We did good," she eventually concluded.

"Yeah, I reckon we did," Leann agreed with an answering smile.

**OOOOOO**

"I think that now would be the perfect time to fill your cousin in on my brother's potion-making subterfuge," Wyatt remarked conversationally to his fiancée as they circled the dance floor.

Chloe glanced over her shoulder to where Chris and Emily had finally managed to unglue their lips from each other. The young couple were now cuddled up together on the sofa, deep in intimate conversation, their fingers entwined and their heads bent close together.

"If you want to be particularly cruel it would be," she said.

"He brought it on himself," Wyatt pointed out.

"Quite possibly," Chloe agreed, "But I think she might be inclined to forgive him rather too quickly right now, don't you?"

Wyatt chuckled at her arch statement, realising that she was probably correct. Emily did look decidedly loved-up. His brother had well and truly kissed her into submission that was for sure.

"Perhaps it would be better to wait a while," he decided. "Can't have him avoiding his punishment, can we?"

Chloe laughed. "Are all brothers so juvenilely competitive?" she asked. "Because I swear you two have been trying to get one up on each other since the day I met you. Don't you ever give it a rest?"

Wyatt grinned. "Well I would, except he'd think he'd won so it's not really an option."

Chloe shook her head. "And here's me thinking you were the mature one," she said, "When in truth you're just as bad as that wayward brother of yours."

"Yeah well, we come from the same gene pool so you've gotta expect some similarities. Just be grateful for the differences."

"Oh I am, believe you me," Chloe said whole-heartedly, then backtracked a little on seeing the tiny frown that creased Wyatt's forehead at her statement.

"I'm sorry, that didn't come out the way I intended. I like Chris, I do. I think he's great but he's not what I would look for in a man. He's a bit too… umm unpredictable, I guess."

"And I'm Mr Predictable am I?" Wyatt said. "Gee thanks for the endorsement."

Chloe punched him lightly on the chest. "You know what I mean."

Wyatt smiled, wrapping his arms more fully around her. "Yeah, lucky for you I do," he told her teasingly. "There aren't many men who'd take their fiancée calling them boring so well, you know."

"I never said that."

"You didn't? Sounded a whole lot like it to me."

"Wyatt!" Chloe protested.

Her fiancé laughed, then bent and touched his lips to hers. "Don't worry, I get what you mean. If your mood was as up and down as Emily's is sometimes, it'd drive me insane."

Chloe smiled, her violet-blue eyes soft and filled with a deep, abiding love. "Predictability has its compensations?" she asked.

"I reckon so."

"So it's okay for us to be Mr and Mrs Boring then?" she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Wyatt leaned in closer, his mouth hovering above hers. "For the rest of our lives, baby, for the rest of our lives…" he murmured.

Chloe brought her lips to his and kissed him soundly. A week. She'd be his wife in less than a week. She could hardly wait…

**OOOOOO**

The next morning, Emily woke to the sound of gentle snoring and the feel of warm breath against the back of her neck. Turning over, she smiled at the picture that greeted her. Chris was still asleep, his mouth hanging slightly open and his arm curled under the pillow that cushioned his head. Unable to resist, she leaned forward and kissed him awake.

"Morning," he murmured drowsily, his eyes flickering open at the feel of her warm lips against his.

"Morning," she returned softly, then sighed contentedly as he increased the pressure of their kiss, his hand rising to cup the nape of her neck as she slid her arms around his midriff.

"So," she said when they finally broke apart. "I forgot to ask. What stunt did you guys pull on the unfortunate bridegroom last night?"

She had meant the question to be light-hearted, but ended up being unnerved by the look of guilt that suddenly crossed Chris's face. He dropped his gaze, refusing to meet her eye.

"Umm… I kind of have a confession to make," he told her warily.

Fear curled in Emily's belly. What kind of confession?

"You know that potion I asked you to make? The power-scrambling one and its antidote?"

"Yeah…" Emily frowned, unsure of the significance.

"Well, I wasn't entirely honest with you about what I wanted it for."

Chris lifted his gaze to her face then and immediately felt horrible for lying to her. She looked absolutely petrified, he noticed with a pang of guilt. She was gradually becoming more confident in their coupledom, he knew, but she did still occasionally succumb to her underlying insecurities about their relationship. This was obviously one of those times. He hastened to explain his crime, wanting to reassure her that he hadn't done anything really bad.

"It was for last night. For Wyatt."

"I don't understand." Emily was still puzzled, although her paranoia had lessened somewhat. She'd been imagining all sorts.

"So he couldn't resist the Stage Hypnotist that we took him to see."

Emily's eyes widened, her anxiety falling away to be replaced by outrage. "WHAT?" she spluttered. "Are you completely insane? Have you any idea how badly that could have backfired?"

"But it didn't," Chris pointed out reasonably, and then cringed when he was caught in the icy-blast of his girlfriend's furious gaze.

"That isn't the point, Chris! Anything could have happened. And I would have been responsible!"

"No, you wouldn't. Using the potion was my decision, Emily."

"You lied to me," she accused.

"I know and I'm sorry about that. I was so focused on pulling off the perfect practical joke that I wasn't thinking straight."

"Well obviously!"

Emily's voice was rife with sarcasm and Chris felt a frisson of unexpected anger run through him. Geez! Since when was she his mother?

"Look, I am who I am," he told her snappily. "I can be immature and stupid every now and then, so get used to it. I'm just not the type to play it safe all the time, Emily. I take calculated risks, live for the moment. If you wanted someone staid and sensible, then you should have looked elsewhere because that's not who I am. Nor will it ever be."

"Wyatt was never in any real danger anyway. Even with scrambled powers, he's not exactly helpless and he had me and several other witches to back him up if he got into trouble. I got you to make the potion and the antidote so it was right, and my family would have sorted out the mess if things had gone really badly anyhow."

Emily stared back at him, the wind knocked out of her sails by his little tirade. It was amazing how well he justified his reckless behaviour, it sounded almost inconsequential the way he described it. He was right about one thing though – he wasn't the type to play it safe and she knew it. In fact, it was a quality that she found incredibly attractive in him.

He could be sweet, generous and loyal to a fault, but he rarely walked the line of convention. Maybe that's what he'd found so confining about his relationship with Bianca in the end. She was fun and exciting to be with in the beginning, but then she had wanted to tie him down in marital bliss, clip his wings so to speak. Marriage wasn't something that they'd discussed much, it being rather too early in their relationship to be thinking along those lines, but Emily did know that Chris viewed it as a commitment to a person rather than a lifestyle.

Wyatt and Chloe were different in that sense. They loved each other deeply, but they also wanted a relatively traditional marriage, craved the normal life that that would bring them. Chris was not like that. He had a certain wanderlust to him, a kind of free-spiritedness that would never go away. Emily knew that she would have to accept that if she wanted to be with him. And she did – want to be with him that was - more and more every day. She didn't need the white picket fence and 2.4 children. She needed him, his love and everything that came with it, irresponsible practical jokes notwithstanding.

She smiled wryly to herself. "You better be suitably contrite," she said ruefully, "Because I think I'm about to let you off the hook way too easily."

Chris smiled. "I'm heartily ashamed of myself, I assure you," he promised faithfully.

"Liar!" she immediately countered.

Chris laughed. "All right so maybe not, but I am sorry that I lied to you okay? That was out of line. I should have told you the truth."

"Yes, you should," Emily reiterated. "I hope it was worth it."

Chris's teeth worried at his bottom lip. "It'd be really bad of me to admit that it was, wouldn't it?" he said.

Emily shook her head in exasperation. "You're something else, you know that?"

Chris grinned. "Sorry, but the sight of my always-in-control older brother exuberantly dancing the Funky Chicken in front of all and sundry was the funniest thing I've seen in like… ever!"

Emily giggled as that image came to mind. "I can imagine."

Chris leaned in close and kissed her. "So what's my penance then?" he asked when he drew back. "I mean I have to suffer some recompense for my despicable actions or Wyatt'll feel the need to retaliate."

"He knows you tricked me into making the power-scrambling potion?" Emily asked.

"Uh-huh," Chris concurred with a nod

"So, I have to make you suffer right?" Emily said, her eyes alight with sudden mischief.

"In the loose sense of the word, yeah," Chris agreed warily.

"Mmm…" Emily lay back against the pillows and considered. "Breakfast in bed sounds like a good start. And after that, well, I guess we'll have to see, won't we?"

**OOOOOO**

**_Wednesday afternoon, four days later…_**

"So, are you nervous yet?" Chris asked his brother as they climbed up the stairs to Wyatt and Chloe's fourth floor apartment.

For Wyatt, school was over for another year. With his wedding and subsequent honeymoon looming on the horizon, the timetable had been shuffled to allow him to take the last week and a half of the semester as paid vacation.

"Define nervous," he said tremulously.

He'd actually been relatively calm until today. But then there'd been a presentation in front of the whole school in assembly that morning, plus his Advanced Magic class had clubbed together to buy him and Chloe a separate wedding present and congratulations card. The two events had suddenly brought reality crashing in on him with a vengeance.

He was getting married. He knew it was the right thing, but suddenly everything that could go wrong started nagging at the back of his mind. What if he flubbed his vows? What if the precautions he'd taken against a demon attack weren't enough? What if Chris lost the rings, Chloe didn't turn up? The list was endless and unmanageable.

Chris grinned to himself as he saw the faint edges of panic start to creep into his brother's demeanour. Wyatt prided himself on being in control, that's why his Hypnotist joke had been such a resounding success, but Chris sometimes thought that it would do his sibling good to relax a little, to allow the vulnerabilities of life to touch him more. There was something to be said for just going with the flow, however much of a rollercoaster ride it was.

"Is Emily still making you be her personal slave?" Wyatt asked, trying to take his mind off his nerves by focusing on his brother's misfortune instead.

Chris grimaced theatrically. "I've got another twenty-four hours to go," he lamented.

"You did ask for it," his brother told him unsympathetically. "I mean you shouldn't have tricked her into making that potion for you, should you?"

"No, I really shouldn't have," Chris agreed solemnly, failing to mention that he and his girlfriend were actually having a lot of fun with his so-called 'punishment.'

Personal slave he might be, but the chores weren't really all that taxing. All right so ironing her laundry and cleaning her apartment was taking the joke a bit too far, but he did have a few magical advantages to help him with that side of things. The rest had been a much more pleasant experience however.

So far this week, he'd made her breakfast in bed three times, cooked dinner for her twice and taken a picnic lunch into work for her once – which they'd eaten together at the top of the Golden Gate Bridge on a gorgeously clear and smog-free day. Then, last night, he'd been forced to take her to dinner at one of San Francisco's exclusive seafood restaurants, followed by dancing at a Latin-American style club. And of course, there were the frequent foot and neck massages to be administered. All in all, he'd be sorry when his penance was over.

They'd reached Wyatt and Chloe's apartment by this point and Chris stood waiting while his brother let them in. The sight that met them stopped them both in their tracks however.

"Whoa!" Chris murmured under his breath.

The entire apartment gleamed. It was so pristine that you were almost afraid to touch anything. The furniture had also been rearranged and vases of freshly cut flowers decorated every surface. As the two brothers absorbed all this, Chloe breezed in from the bedroom, dressed in a floaty summer dress, her long blonde hair flowing freely down her back.

"Hi honey!" she said, kissing Wyatt as she went by on her way to the kitchen. "Dinner'll be ready in two hours, okay?"

"Umm, isn't it my turn to cook tonight?" Wyatt asked, a little dumbfounded by his fiancée's rather uncharacteristic behaviour.

"Don't be silly, you've been at work all day."

"Yeah and so have you."

"Oh no, I took the day off. There was too much work to do here."

With that, she turned on her heel and bounced happily through into the kitchen, humming quietly to herself as she did so.

"Honey?" Chris asked, with one raised eyebrow.

"She never calls me that," Wyatt said, shaking his head. "Mom calls me it all the time so it's way too weird."

"All right, so I've heard of women nesting before they have a baby, but before they get married? You don't think she's put that ring of Great-Grams' on by any chance. You know the one that Aunt Phoebe told us about that time?" Chris asked. "The one that turned her into Stepford wife material?"

Wyatt frowned, vaguely recalling the story. "How could she?" he said. "Maybe it's just a last minute jitter thing," he decided.

Chris grinned. "Well, I'll leave you to cope with that, buddy," he said. "Just get me that book and I'll be on my way. I've got some chores to be getting on with."

Wyatt nodded absently, then retrieved the spell instruction manual from the bookcase and handed it to his brother. After Chris had orbed away, he went through into the kitchen to find Chloe.

"Can I help with anything?" he asked, staring aghast at the myriad of pots, pans and bowls of ingredients that were scattered about the kitchen surfaces. It appeared she was intending to cook up a mini-banquet for them both.

Chloe shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Why don't you go and take a relaxing soak in the tub? I'll bring you through a beer or something."

"A beer?" Wyatt queried warily.

"Or a glass of wine. Whatever you prefer."

Wyatt sighed. "Chloe – are you all right?"

Chloe looked suddenly worried, her pretty face marred by the small frown that creased her brow. "Yes, of course I am. Why? Am I doing something wrong?"

"Wrong? No, no, of course not. You're just a bit… well perky, I guess."

"I'm not normally perky?" Chloe questioned him closely, her violet-blue eyes intent on his face.

"Not usually to the extent of temporary insanity, no," Wyatt quipped lightly.

Chloe let out a tinkling little laugh at his jest. "Sorry, I guess I'm just a bit on edge over the wedding."

"Yeah well, you and me both, but we'll be okay."

His fiancée smiled. "Yeah, I know… oh, that's me!" she exclaimed as the sound of a cell phone cut through the air.

"Did you change your ringtone again?" Wyatt asked.

"Umm yeah, I got fed up of the last one," Chloe said, digging about in her purse for her phone. "Look, why don't you go take that bath anyway?"

Wyatt grinned. "Is that a polite way of telling me I smell?"

"Well if the shoe fits, honey," Chloe replied and Wyatt chuckled.

"All right, you've persuaded me."

Chloe waited until he'd left the kitchen and then flipped open her phone. "What?" she barked irritably into the receiver.

"Where the hell are you?" A familiar voice sounded in her ear.

"Where do you think?"

"You were serious last night then, you're actually going to go through with this charade?"

"Of course I am. It's too good an opportunity to miss. Do me a favour and see to the excess requirements, okay?"

"Where?"

"The usual place."

"What if I get recognised?"

"Use a disguise. Do I have to tell you everything?"

"You'll never get away with it, you know."

"Just watch me. This time next week I'll be Mrs Wyatt Halliwell and then the whole world will be my oyster…"

**_To be continued… _**

**_(CharmedBec ducks the flying objects heading her way!)_**

* * *

**_A/N2 : _**Several reviewers mentioned the possibility of things back-firing with the power-scrambling potion. I have to admit it never really occured to me. As you can see from the last scene, my mind was focused on other dramas! 


	39. Doubts and Certainties

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! A new update for you all. Sorry for the huge delay – I've been on holiday in Italy for a few weeks so I've not had the time to write. This is a slightly shorter chapter than usual, mainly because of where I want to end the next part. I could have made this an extra long chapter, I suppose, but I didn't want to make you wait even longer for an update so I decided to split it into two shorter ones instead.

There's some relatively mild sex talk in the first (and last) scene so please be suitably warned. As you may or not remember, Chris is currently Emily's personal slave as penance for tricking her into making the power-scrambling potion that he used on Wyatt at the Bachelor party. Meanwhile, the happy couple's wedding is only a few days away and the bride has suddenly started to act rather strange…

**OOOOOO**

**Chapter 39**

_**Later that evening…**_

"Chloe…" Wyatt protested weakly.

"What?" she murmured as she continued to nuzzle affectionately at his neck, her lips soft and moist against his tingling skin.

"We said we'd wait," he reminded her plaintively.

The blonde witch lifted her head and stared up at him in amazement. "What?" she asked incredulously.

Wyatt looked down at her, a quizzical expression on his handsome face. "You really _are_ out of it tonight, aren't you?" he remarked. "It was your idea for us to go cold turkey for a while, remember?"

"To make the wedding night extra special," she belatedly realised.

"Exactly, but I only have so much willpower, you know. Carry on like that and it'll be shot to pieces."

"And that's a bad thing?" she asked archly.

"Well, it's definitely a frustrating thing, but I have to admit, it's kind of sexy too. There's something to be said for anticipation, I think."

"And isn't that a fact," his companion muttered under her breath.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing."

Sensing that she'd essentially struck out, she unfurled her body from the couch and stretched her arms above her head, working out the kinks in her muscles.

"Do you want a drink or something?" she asked as she turned towards the kitchen.

Wyatt shook his head, his eyes returning to the TV programme he'd previously been absorbed in. "No, I'm fine thanks," he replied absently.

Letting out a small sigh, she went through into the kitchen and poured herself a large glass of chilled white wine. If she wasn't going to be getting any tonight, she figured she might as well indulge a little. There wasn't really much else to do around here, was there?

Sipping at her drink, she started to make her way back into the lounge, but was distracted when her phone rang again, the sound loud and jarring in the quiet apartment. She quickly snatched up her cell from the kitchen counter where she'd left it and answered the call.

"I told you not to call me here," she said sharply into the mouthpiece, closing the kitchen door so that Wyatt wouldn't overhear the conversation. "He'll get suspicious."

"Just tell him it's a girlfriend with man trouble."

"Yeah and then he'll want to know which one. Use your brain. Please. Did you do as I asked by the way?"

"On my way there now. You got any messages?"

"Thanks for the loan maybe?"

The sound of laughter came from the other end of the line. "That's cruel."

"But also fun," she said with a gleeful note of satisfaction in her voice.

More laughter ensued. "So, are you planning on an early night then?"

"Yeah well, I was, but apparently early nights are off the menu until the big day."

"You're kidding me, right? They actually waited until now?"

"Well no. Despite appearances, I don't actually think Mr and Mrs Wonderfully Perfect are _that_ traditional. I think this is more along the lines of a short-term, pre-wedding abstinence to tell you the truth."

"Bummer."

She rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it. I could push the issue, I suppose, but they've obviously made some sort of chastity pact and he might start asking questions if I try to break it. He already thinks I'm acting a bit weird. Apparently, Little Miss Blonde and Perky isn't quite the Mary-Sue that she appears on the surface. I've managed to pass it off as pre-wedding nerves so far though."

"He's gonna figure it out, you know. You can't possibly hope to fool him indefinitely."

"I won't have to. I just have to hold out until after the ceremony - three more days. By then, we'll be married and it'll be too late for him to back out. He'll be mine and mine alone, magically bound to me for all eternity. The only get-out clause he'll have is death and I think he's far too noble to take such an easy way out."

"That goes for you too, you know. Are you sure you're prepared for what that means? The binding ritual you're talking about will allow you to control him, but it won't make him love you. He'll be with you under duress the whole time."

"I know that, but it's a sacrifice that I'm prepared to make and he'll learn to live with it eventually. And, you never know, he may even get to enjoy it in time. I mean I'm not completely unattractive, am I?"

"It's not all bad anyway. Didn't you read the text I gave you? The Demoness, Lisska wasn't what you'd call an equal opportunities Bride by all accounts. Her unfortunate husband was not permitted to be unfaithful without dire consequences to his health, but she certainly was. Why do you think I chose that particular ritual? The Binding can only be broken by both Wyatt and my deaths, but I'll be able to take as many lovers as I want if I feel the need to. My lovely husband however, will suffer the consequences if he steps out of line."

"So how are you planning on switching the wedding celebrants?"

"Pretty much the same way that I've switched the blushing bride. Although I was thinking more along the lines of a temporary glamour spell this time, rather than a full body-swap. It's much less complicated…"

"But significantly easier to see through."

"Maybe, but the celebrant is basically a stranger so they don't have to be quite so convincing, do they?"

"I guess not."

"Anyway – enough of this chit-chat - I've got to go. I'll meet you tomorrow afternoon for coffee somewhere, okay? I should be able to get away if I'm lucky. I'll let you know when and where."

"Sure. Have fun tonight."

"Not much chance of that with this crazy 'look but don't touch' policy that they've got going on."

"Well, I certainly wouldn't mind looking. The guy is hot with a capital 'H' despite his unfortunate personality flaws. I'd make the most of the opportunity if I were you."

"Perhaps you're right."

"Perhaps? Honey – you _know_ I'm right. Take the time to admire your prize before you unwrap it, is what I say. That way you'll appreciate your conquest all the more when the time finally comes to claim it."

Her lips curled up into a self-satisfied smile at that. "The most powerful witch that ever lived completely under my thumb. Now _that_ I'm definitely looking forward to…"

**OOOOOO **

_**Meanwhile at Magic School…**_

Using the key card that Chris had given her several weeks beforehand, Emily let herself into the private wing at Magic School that housed the teacher's living quarters. It seemed somewhat incongruous to have electronic security in a place of such magical significance, but she supposed the teaching staff who resided on campus were entitled to some semblance of privacy when they were off-duty and away from class.

Following a well-travelled route, she wended her way through the rabbit warren of corridors towards Chris's apartment. She'd been expecting to arrive home that evening to find her personal slave waiting for her, ready to cater to her every frivolous whim. Instead, she'd been greeted by an empty apartment and a note propped up against the framed family photograph on the mantle.

'Emily,' it read in her boyfriend's familiar looping script. 'Have gone home. Something unexpected came up. Come over to my apartment when you're ready… Love Chris.'

He'd underscored the signature with two kisses, which gave Emily a warm, fuzzy feeling inside and made her smile. Curious as to the 'something unexpected,' she wasted no time in changing out of her work clothes and took a quick shower to freshen up. After blow-drying her hair, she dressed simply in a white cotton skirt and a deep purple sun-top, then slipped her feet into a pair of flip-flops and grabbed her purse before heading out to Magic School.

Finally reaching the front door of Chris's apartment a short while later, she let herself in rather than knocking, calling out to him as she entered.

"Hi honey! I'm home... Oh!"

She stopped short as she came face-to-face with the distinguished-looking older man who was lounging casually on her boyfriend's sofa as if he had been there many times before. He had iron-grey hair and an open, friendly face and, although a stranger, there was something distinctly familiar about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"You must be Emily," he said in a warm, friendly tone, solicitously rising to his feet to greet her.

"Uhh yeah…," she concurred rather uncertainly.

"Victor Bennet," he introduced himself with a broad smile and an outstretched hand.

"Oh! Chris and Wyatt's Grandpa," she exclaimed as the significance of the name registered.

"For my misfortunes, yes," Victor replied smoothly.

"Hey! I heard that!" Chris's voice interrupted as he emerged from the bathroom and joined them in the living area.

"I know."

Victor threw his grandson a lop-sided grin and Emily suddenly realised why he'd seemed so familiar to her earlier. The family resemblance was glaringly apparent to her now. While Leo gave Chloe an idea of what Wyatt may look like as he grew older, it was Victor who provided Emily with the same glimpse of the future with respect to Chris.

He was looking pretty good for a man who must now be in his seventies, she decided. He appeared no more than sixty-five, possibly even younger than that given his obvious physical fitness. Were all people in this family blessed with the fountain of youth gene by any chance, she wondered.

"Hi!" Chris said, stooping to kiss her a brief hello, unfazed by displaying such affection in front of his grandfather.

"Sorry I had to cut my penance short," he murmured quietly in her ear before raising his voice to include their visitor in the conversation, "Grandpa showed up a day earlier than expected, and he wants to hide out here for the evening so he doesn't have to face the big family reunion until tomorrow."

"Hmm," Victor concurred with a nod. "My daughters – or more to the point, my granddaughters can be a bit full on at times. I need a good, hearty meal inside me and a full eight hour's sleep before I face that particular delight."

Emily giggled, seeing from the warm twinkle in his eye that he was only half-serious. She'd never met her boyfriend's grandfather before, but according to Chloe, Victor was somewhat of a hero to all his grandchildren – Paige's daughters included, who he treated the same as his biological family. Chris was apparently a particular favourite though, so Emily was aware that she needed to make a good impression on the man.

"You're here for the wedding I take it?" she asked.

Victor nodded his confirmation of that. "Yes. And I wanted to meet the young woman who has been my grandson's sole topic of conversation for the last few months of course," he added with a teasing smile.

Emily blushed at that and cast a quick sidelong glance at Chris, who she was amused to see looked faintly embarrassed by his grandfather's remark. It made her feel good though, to know that she'd featured so prominently in their conversations. She didn't think Chris was the type to wax lyrical to his family about someone he wasn't seriously interested in, so this was yet another sign of the growing strength of his feelings for her.

"I hope I live up to the hype," she said with a nervous laugh.

"Oh, you're doing all right so far," Victor assured her. "So," he said, rubbing his hands together and looking expectantly at his grandson, "What's for dinner?"

"The kitchen's right there," Chris told him bluntly.

"Now I know your mother taught you to be more hospitable than that," Victor reproved.

"Well, if you want to call her, I'm sure she'll be more than happy to feed you," Chris shot back with an impudent grin.

"You'd think I'd commandeer more respect, wouldn't you?" Victor remarked conversationally to Emily, "Considering the number of times I changed his diaper when he was young. Not to mention the concealment of various illicit activities when he and his brother hit their teenage years."

Emily smiled. "And what illicit activities would they be?" she mischievously enquired of her boyfriend.

"I hate to disappoint you," Chris told her dryly, "But we were really rather boring for the most part. A few forbidden parties and significantly more forbidden demon vanquishes were covered up with trips to 'visit Grandpa' I recall - most of which he had no knowledge of by the way. Oh and then there was Spring Break weekend when I was sixteen of course…"

"For which you still owe me," Victor reminded him pointedly.

"You didn't have to cover for us," Chris said.

"No, you're right, I didn't. Lucky for you I did though. Your Mom would not have been impressed if she'd known the truth."

"Known the truth about what?" Emily asked with interest.

"Some friends of ours decided to hire a beach house in Malibu for the weekend," Chris explained, "Only Mom wouldn't let us go – or should I say, she wouldn't let _me_ go. She'd have reluctantly allowed Wyatt to go along, I think, seeing as he was almost eighteen at the time, but apparently I was…" He crooked his fingers into quote marks. "'Too young' for such things."

"But you went anyway," Emily surmised.

Chris nodded. "Wyatt, Dan, Martin and me pretended that we were going to stay with Grandpa at his beach house instead and Mom accepted that as a suitable compromise. We would have gotten away with it too, if she hadn't decided to call and find out whether we were having fun or not."

Emily laughed. "So you were busted."

"Oh yeah, well and truly. Luckily, Grandpa saved us from the motherly wrath. We just had to endure the grandfatherly lecture instead, which I can safely guarantee was always going to measure much lower on the Richter scale."

"I take it you were unaware that you were playing host to four phantom teenagers?" Emily asked of Victor.

"Completely ignorant," he said, "I'd heard talk of this beach house party though, so their little subterfuge didn't take too much figuring out. My daughter can be a bit overprotective of her boys at times, so I decided to check the situation out for myself before sending her into premature orbit."

Emily giggled. "You really think that was wise? With Daniel and Martin tagging along?"

Victor smiled. "Probably not," he agreed, "But despite those two jokers and this one's…" He jerked his thumb at Chris, "…reckless streak, I knew that at least Wyatt had a sensible head on his shoulders and wouldn't let things get out of hand. Once I'd satisfied myself that they were just indulging in a bit of normal teenage rebellion and not getting themselves into any serious trouble, I couldn't really see any harm in it. I'm not sure Piper would have agreed with that assessment of course but…" He broke off and shrugged, "You're only young once."

Emily smiled, seeing now why Victor had endeared himself so much to his two grandsons. While she was sure that he would have never stood by and allowed them to get themselves into any serious bother, he nevertheless gave them a lot more rope than their fiercely protective parents did. She had witnessed Piper's Momma Bear tendencies for herself so she could understand why Wyatt and Chris might have sometimes felt a bit restricted by them. Her own mother was much more relaxed in comparison, but then she hadn't been targeted by demons virtually every week of her life so she guessed there was a difference. It stood to reason that this might have something to do with Chris's Mom's protective attitude towards her sons.

"So will steak, do ya?" Chris asked his grandfather, returning to the subject of dinner. "I've got cheesecake for afters," he added, shooting Emily a roguish grin.

Emily smiled back, recalling the instructions she'd handed down to her personal slave that morning. Rich, homemade, gooey toffee fudge cheesecake had been on her list of demands for the day, she remembered. Of course, he was also supposed to feed it to her, but she guessed she might have to forgo that particular pleasure in present company.

"You need any help?" she asked as Chris turned towards the kitchen.

At first, he appeared as if he was going to reject her offer, but then he smiled and nodded. "Sure, I reckon I can trust you not to ruin the salad."

"Hey!" she protested as they went through into the kitchen, leaving Victor behind in the lounge to read his newspaper. "What was that supposed to mean? I can cook."

"If you say so," Chris returned cheekily, and then quickly dodged out the way as she reached out to cuff him upside the head in retaliation.

"Just because my cooking isn't to gourmet standards doesn't mean it doesn't taste good," she told him with a pout.

Chris laughed. "I know, I was just kidding," he said. "Of course, I'm still the better cook," he added a moment later, unwilling to completely concede the point.

"Being trained by a professional chef is an unfair advantage," Emily retorted.

Chris grinned, then hooked an arm around her waist, and drew her close, bending to brush a mollifying kiss against her pouting lips. Unable to help herself, Emily kissed him back, closing her eyes and lifting her arms to encircle his neck as his mouth moved confidently over hers.

"You're like chocolate," he informed her when he stepped back.

"Chocolate?" she asked confusedly as he pulled open the fridge door and began to rummage around inside, casually tossing the various ingredients of their dinner onto the counter when he found what he was looking for.

Chris stopped what he was doing and looked back over his shoulder at her, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Yeah – you melt with very little encouragement," he joked, his green eyes sparkling with merriment.

Emily sucked in her breath in protest and aimed an indignant slap at his jean-clad butt, which was conveniently in range. "You're a very bad man, Christopher Halliwell," she told him haughtily.

"Hey, it's not my fault that you find me so irresistible," Chris replied as he straightened up. "You can't blame a guy for taking advantage, can you?"

"You wanna bet?" Emily rejoined, folding her arms across her chest and fixing him with a reproving stare.

Chris grinned unrepentantly back at her and she laughed in spite of herself. "I've got it so bad," she lamented tragically.

Cupping the side of her face in his palm, Chris leaned forwards and planted a brief, but heartfelt kiss on her lips. "You and me both," he confessed.

"Yeah?" Emily asked shyly.

"Yeah," he replied with a soft smile, then turned towards the kitchen counter and set about preparing their dinner.

Slightly overwhelmed by the sudden, emotionally charged atmosphere between them, Emily huffed out her breath from between her lips and then moved forward to help him with the domestic task.

**OOOOOO**

Wyatt lay on his back, his arms folded behind his head as he stared blankly up at the ceiling. Uneasiness coiled low in his belly, keeping him awake even though his body was crying out for rest.

He wasn't quite sure where the uncomfortable emotion was coming from… well actually, that wasn't entirely true. Turning his head on the pillow, he looked over at Chloe. His fiancée was curled up into a foetal position on the opposite side of the bed, her breathing deep and even, indicating that she, at least, was having no trouble sleeping.

He sighed.

Common sense told him that he was worrying about nothing. It was perfectly normal for a bride to be a little on edge and out of sorts a few days before her wedding. It was the biggest day of both their lives after all. They were bound to be a little apprehensive about the whole thing. It was inevitable.

And yet, there was something that just wasn't quite right. A gut instinct made him wary. It was a silly concern, but Chloe was sleeping with her back to him and that bothered him immensely. While they didn't always sleep in each other's arms, they did usually face each other and maintain some sort of physical contact, even if it was just his hand resting lightly on her hip. The only time she ever turned her back to him was when they were spooning.

Until now that was.

What if he'd been kidding himself? What if Chloe wasn't the woman for him after all? What if she'd lulled him into a false sense of security with her sweet, affectionate nature and was now about to turn into the wife from hell? He had fallen for that ruse once before. Tara had been perfectly amiable and undemanding until she thought that she'd safely earned his trust. And then she'd revealed her true colours, shown herself to be the manipulative and self-serving person that she truly was.

He shook his head. This was crazy. Why was he making such a big deal over something so trivial? So okay, Chloe had been acting a bit out of character tonight, but that didn't mean she was trying to play him. There was absolutely no way she could have kept up that kind of act for so long. Tara hadn't managed it. He'd just been so blinded by his love for her that he blithely excused her frequent bouts of temper as temporary aberrations, treated them as a series of unrelated one-offs when they'd been anything but.

Although he had fallen just as hard - if not harder - for Chloe, he'd been much more wary this time round. He'd refused to put on the rose-tinted glasses and made a point of keeping his eyes open and seeing her for the woman that she was inside – genuine, warm and loving to be sure, but not without her faults nonetheless.

He'd never had any doubts about marrying her before, not even when her excessive stressing over finding a wedding dress had made her a nightmare to live with. So why was he questioning his choice now? It didn't make any sense. He was just letting his nerves get the better of him. He simply needed to take a step back and calm down a little.

Slipping quietly from the bed to avoid waking Chloe, he went through into the lounge and on into the apartment's kitchen, where he rifled through the cupboards and pulled out the ingredients to whip up a batch of his Mom's hot chocolate. The sweet, creamy drink was his comfort food. It filled him with a warm sense of home, reminded him of all those late night chats that he had shared with one or other member of his extended family when something had been troubling him or getting him down.

He'd turn to his Mom when he'd needed a good old-fashioned hug, his Dad for fatherly advice and magical confidence boosts, his Aunt Phoebe for relationship and peer pressure guidance, and his Aunt Paige when he just needed someone to make him laugh and pep up his mood a bit. Then there was his brother, who catered for all those items that precluded an authority figure's involvement, and finally his Grandpa and the odd dead relative for anything else that was still remaining.

He wished he could talk to one of them now. He needed someone to coax him out of this bout of nerves that was plaguing him with unreasoning doubt. He knew in his heart of hearts that this was something he would have to work out for himself though. He couldn't go running to his family whenever he and Chloe hit a bump in the road. Their relationship and forthcoming marriage was their responsibility, and they had to learn to negotiate any pitfalls that they might face together. Or else what was the point? Asking advice was one thing, sidestepping their obligation to each other was another.

He busied himself with making his hot chocolate and then took it through into the lounge to drink. Curled up on the sofa, he let it soothe his frazzled nerves as he gave himself a good talking to, firmly telling himself that he was being ridiculous. He loved Chloe and she loved him. Together was where they belonged…

**OOOOOO**

The rest of the evening had passed without major incident. To Chris's relief, Victor and Emily hit it off straightaway, although he knew he shouldn't have been particularly surprised by that. His grandfather's relaxed manner and effortless charm made him into someone who was instantly likeable on first meeting, while Emily's beguilingly infectious personality pretty much garnered the same effect.

It was important to him that they liked each other though. He wanted Emily by his side and that meant introducing her into the close-knit circle of his slightly overbearing but loving family. Emily had slotted herself into his life with effortless ease so far, and he hadn't been putting up much resistance to that. He had been a bit wary of the speed at which their relationship was starting to progress at first, until he realised that they'd effectively skipped the getting-to-know-you stage because of their previous friendship.

Close friends already before they'd moved on to romance, there was no real reason to hold back. He'd been friends with both his other long-term girlfriends as well, but not quite to the same extent. A basic level of trust had already been established between him and Emily, and they already knew a lot of each other's obscure little personality quirks. Once Emily had come to terms with her previously unrequited feelings for him, there was nothing else to stand in their way.

The scene with Bianca at the recital had been the turning point, he realised. All the lingering issues with regard to their relationship had finally been resolved and Emily had found a new confidence as a result. She was significantly more relaxed around him now. Bianca – and more importantly, his family not knowing the full truth had made her cautious. She'd held a part of herself back from him because she'd been afraid that everything would come tumbling down around her like a house of cards.

If he was honest, he'd pretty much done the same thing. He'd been worried about how his parents would react, and still felt a little guilty about Bianca, knowing that he'd procrastinated about ending their relationship when, deep inside, he knew it was over. With her albeit reluctant acceptance of his feelings for Emily though, he had been released from that self-imposed culpability, and his Mom and Dad's understanding of the slightly questionable origins of his new relationship had also taken a load of his mind.

He and Emily were free now to pursue this burgeoning thing between them without any outside influences putting obstacles in their way. The only slight blot on the horizon was the situation with her Dad, but Emily was confident that that would resolve itself in time so he didn't allow it to bother him too much. For now, he was just enjoying being with her and getting to know her in a way that he'd not been able to until now. Love invited certain confidences that friendship simply did not.

"You know, you could have stayed," he said after he'd orbed her home, "Grandpa's a pretty liberal kind of guy."

Emily smiled. "I'm sure he is, but I figured I'd give you some male-bonding time. I mean you might want to talk about me some more," she added teasingly.

Chris laughed. "He was exaggerating earlier, you know," he told her. "I don't think you were the topic of absolutely every conversation like he inferred you were – although I admit you probably featured rather a lot."

"And I should think so too," Emily replied with mock sternness, making him smile.

"So," she said, snuggling in closer to him and looping her arms around his waist, "Was he right to put so much faith in you?"

"Huh?" Chris looked down into her smiling face in confusion.

"Spring Break Weekend, two thousand and whatever," she clarified her meaning.

"Oh," he said, his puzzled expression clearing. "That. Well yeah, for the most part anyway."

"What no sex, drugs and rock and roll?" she asked playfully.

"Rock and Roll, yes. Drugs – definitely not. Sex? Well, for me, no – I'd only been dating Carolyn for a few weeks. I'm not sure Wyatt was quite such a good boy though," he added with a twinkle.

Emily laughed. "I'm shocked."

Chris grinned. "Yeah well, he plays the sensible and responsible role to perfection. He has everyone fooled. I admit he's probably more grounded than most, but he's no saint. Never was."

"Played the field, did he?"

"Not as much as he could have done. He wasn't lacking in offers like some of us though."

"Killer combination," Emily said.

"Oh yeah?" Chris asked with one raised eyebrow.

"Yeah – the blond, surfer-boy good looks, the decent but not boring personality, plus the power of popularity to boot."

"Not to mention the whole Twice-Blessed thing," Chris reminded her.

Emily nodded. "As I said - a killer combination. It's what the majority of girls go for at that age."

"It's only when they get older that they get less discerning then," Chris remarked laughingly.

Emily laughed. "No, experience teaches them that it's personality that makes a relationship and that the rest is just window-dressing."

"There's hope for us mere mortals yet then," Chris remarked.

"You're not mortal," Emily pointed out.

"No, but I'm not my brother either."

"Now I know you're not that insecure," she chided him.

Chris's lips twisted into a wry smile. "No, not anymore," he agreed. "I used to be though until I worked out where I fit into this crazy old world."

"You make Wyatt sound like a real player. He's never struck me as the type."

Chris shrugged. "The thing with Tara knocked his confidence big time. Although in the long run, it made him a nicer person, I guess. Not that he was that awful before, but he did occasionally fall into the trap of believing in his own hype back then. He's much more introvert now than he used to be."

Emily nodded her understanding and then leaned up to kiss him. "It's getting late," she murmured when they drew apart.

"Mmm," Chris agreed, his forehead resting against hers so that the tips of their noses were touching and their lips were no more than a hair's breadth apart.

"You should go," she prompted, although she was reluctant to release him from her embrace.

This would be the first night they'd spent apart in almost two weeks. His concern over her welfare after the demon attack, and then his personal slave duties, had kept them constantly together when they might normally have parted company for one or two nights.

"Mmm," he said again, then kissed her once more for good measure.

"Chris…," she complained, drawing his name out with a plaintive sigh.

"All right, I'm going," he said. "I love you, okay?"

"I love you too. I'll see you tomorrow after work, yeah?"

Chris nodded. "I'll call you."

"You better," she responded and then purposely pushed him away from her. "Now go."

"Yes ma'am." He saluted her smartly and then obediently disappeared in a stream of blue lights.

Emily shook her head with a smile. It was true what she had said earlier. She really did have it bad.

But then, at Chris's own admission, so did he…

_**To be continued…**_

**P.S.** To anyone reading my other story 'False Memories.' I haven't abandoned it, I'm working on the next chapter now :-)


	40. Secrets and Lies

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hiya! New chapter for you. There's a strong suggestion of adult activity between our favourite couple in this part, so please be suitably warned. Actually, it's not really a suggestion at all, more a statement of fact, although there's nothing too graphic.

Anyway, that's the obligatory warning over with, so on with the show…

**OOOOOO**

**Chapter 40**

_**Friday morning, Magic School, a day and a half later…**_

Breathing an audible sigh of relief, Chris pushed the door of his office closed and listened as it snapped shut with a distinctly satisfying click.

Peace at last.

At least for the next hour or so anyway. The last day of the semester, and even the most genial of his pupils turned into hyperactive brats from hell, overexcited by the prospect of the long summer vacation ahead. The little darlings were currently ensconced in front of a feature-length cartoon as a special last day treat however, and Chris had taken the opportunity to escape to the calm sanctuary of his office for a while, pleading a fictional errand and leaving his two classroom assistants in charge for the duration.

Sitting down in the large, comfortable armchair in the corner of his office, he closed his eyes and savoured the quiet for a couple of blissful minutes, until the sound of approaching footsteps jolted him out of his reverie. Fortunately, whoever it was walked right past his office door without knocking, but he knew he might not be so lucky next time.

Ever since he had accepted a fulltime position at Magic School, members of staff had been constantly knocking on his door with all manner of thorny little problems for him to resolve. He was the first port of call if his Dad wasn't around, and it annoyed the hell out of him. It was almost as if, by giving up his day-job, he'd declared his intention to follow in his revered father's footsteps and become the next curator of this rather unique educational establishment.

Chris was ambivalent about the whole idea to say the least. While he undoubtedly loved teaching, he didn't relish the prospect of being tied down to one particular career path just yet, especially when he was only twenty-four years old. He didn't really think that he had the right disposition for it. He was a wanderlust at heart and wanted to see and experience all he could from life while he had the chance. And he couldn't do that if he was stuck managing the day-to-day details of a place like Magic School, could he?

What's more, Wyatt required a right-hand man, someone who could act in his stead if necessary. His brother's destiny weighed heavily on him sometimes, and, because of that, he needed someone to pick up the slack every now and then. It was a role that Chris had been playing all his life, but he knew it would become more significant as time went on. His future responsibilities lay in that direction, not here at Magic School. He really ought to talk to his Dad before the whole situation became a fait accompli.

His more pressing dilemma however, was how best to preserve his mini oasis of peace and safeguard it against annoying interruptions. Staying here was out of the question that was for sure, the telltale rat-a-tat-tat on the door could come at any moment. Retrieving the book that he was currently reading from the top drawer of his desk, he tossed his teacher's robes onto the nearby coat-stand and orbed out to his favourite sitting and thinking place.

Emerging out of a swirl of blue orbs high up on the Golden Gate Bridge, he discovered his strategy for gaining a little alone time had been unexpectedly thwarted. Wyatt sat cross-legged on a rust-orange beam nearby, gazing out over the horizon as his blond hair ruffled slightly in the breeze. He didn't acknowledge his brother's presence, but Chris knew from experience that it hadn't passed him by. Wyatt's senses were always on high alert, even when he appeared totally oblivious to his surroundings.

Chris was rather surprised to find his sibling up here on the Bridge. He was the one who had adopted their father's habit of coming up here to think, not Wyatt. His brother only usually ventured up here to find their Dad, himself or their Aunt Paige, or to commune with the Elders. Otherwise, he kept his feet on solid ground, preferring to obey the laws of gravity rather than defy the elements a hundred or more metres up in the air.

Chris crossed to join him. Imitating his brother's cross-legged position, he sat down and set his book to one side. "Hey!" he said by way of greeting.

"Hey," Wyatt responded, his voice flat and expressionless.

Silence fell and Chris felt a frisson of uneasiness ripple through him. Something was wrong, that much was obvious. Wyatt didn't seem that inclined to reveal his thoughts right now though so he kept quiet, knowing that his brother would confide in him when, and only when he was ready to. Wyatt hated being backed into a corner; it always prompted him to come out fighting. Chris wisely held his tongue therefore and waited for his brother to speak. Five minutes later, his show of patience was rewarded in a most shocking way.

"I don't think I can go through with it."

Chris's mouth dropped open in stunned amazement. "W-what? The wedding you mean?" he stuttered in disbelief.

Wyatt turned to look at him. "Of course the wedding," he snapped irritably. "What else?"

"But you… Jesus Wyatt! Don't you think it's a little late for second thoughts? The wedding's tomorrow for god's sake!"

"Oh right, so you'd rather I make the biggest mistake of my life for the sake of keeping up appearances, is that it?"

"No, no, of course not. But this is a bit out of the blue, isn't it? You've never mentioned having doubts before now. I mean how long have you actually been feeling this way?"

Wyatt looked away, reluctant to answer the question because he knew his reply would sound completely senseless.

Chris wasn't going to be so easily deterred however. "Wyatt?" he pressed.

Wyatt sighed. "Since Wednesday," he admitted. "And I know what you're going to say, but this is more than just last minute jitters blown out of proportion. Chloe is… I don't know; she's different somehow. You saw what she was like the other night, Chris."

"All right so I admit she was a little Sugar and Spice, but god Wyatt, is that all you're basing this decision on? A few days' atypical behaviour? What about the last year of domestic bliss? Doesn't that count for anything?"

"You don't understand."

"No, you're right I don't, but it's your decision. You'd better be damn sure about what you're doing though, because if you jilt her, you can't ever go back to the way it was before. It'll be over for good. You do know that, don't you?"

Wyatt nodded; scrubbing his hands over his face and running his fingers through his hair, making it stand on end. "Yes, I know. I just…," he broke off with a sigh.

Chris reached out and squeezed his shoulder in quiet support. "Have you tried talking to Chloe about this?" he asked.

Wyatt let out a watery laugh. "Yeah. And that's part of the problem."

"Huh?"

"We haven't talked for days – not like we used to. It's all just wedding arrangements, what we're having for dinner, watching on TV, stuff like that. Nothing with any real substance to it. I try to talk to her about how I'm feeling, and she just brushes aside my concerns as if they're of no consequence. Like now she's got me where she wants me, she doesn't have to make the effort anymore."

Chris frowned. "That doesn't sound like Chloe," he said.

"Maybe I've never really known the real Chloe," Wyatt replied.

"But that would mean that Emily…" Chris started to say and then shook his head. No, there was no mistaking the love in his girlfriend's eyes when she looked at him. It was for real; as were Chloe's feelings for his brother, he was sure of it.

"Look," he said gravely. "If you're really not sure, then you going to have to say something. But please Wyatt, be absolutely certain about it before you do. You'll be destroying both yours and Chloe's lives, you know…"

"Not to mention the effect it's likely to have on you and Emily," Wyatt cut in acidly.

Chris sighed. "All right, so yeah – there's that too. But if I truly thought that this is what you really wanted, then that wouldn't be an issue. Me and Emily would ride out the storm somehow."

Wyatt looked at him. "Emily loves you," he told his brother reassuringly. "I don't doubt that."

"But you doubt Chloe's love for you? You think that she's been stringing you along since day one? That's a long time to keep up the crazy-in-love act, Wyatt."

Wyatt sighed. "I know. I just, I have this feeling… Bad vibes, you know? I don't really know where they come from and I've tried to ignore them, believe me. But they just won't go away."

"I could get Emily to talk to Chloe for you," Chris offered.

Wyatt shook his head. "No, no, I don't want anyone else to know."

"Everyone's gonna know if you back out," his brother pointed out. "Speaking of which – you better make your mind up one way or the other by tonight, okay? I wouldn't say there's a good time to jilt anybody, but on your actual wedding day is definitely bad form. Chloe doesn't deserve that."

Wyatt nodded. "All right," he agreed. "I'll decide by tonight, I promise…"

**OOOOOO**

Chris of course, was completely distracted by his disturbing conversation with his brother for the rest of the day. He wondered whether he should mention it to anyone, someone who might be a little more objective about the whole thing. Unfortunately, he'd promised Wyatt that he wouldn't say anything and, as he wasn't one to break a confidence, that was that.

The trouble was, if he were honest with himself, he had to admit that he might have an ulterior motive for wanting the wedding to go ahead. His relationship with Emily was important to him and something like this was bound to affect it. He had to support Wyatt in whatever he chose to do, but he knew Emily wouldn't be able to see it that way. Chloe was her cousin after all. Of course, she'd take her side in all of this, which would unfortunately put them on opposite sides of a very prickly fence.

Wyatt had always been so sure about Chloe up until now though, so Chris was pretty certain that his brother was just letting his nerves get the better of him. But what if he wasn't? He shouldn't be marrying her if it wasn't right. This was the rest of his life they were talking about.

The final bell came around all too soon for Chris's liking and he stopped by his apartment to pick up his things with a grand show of reluctance. He and Wyatt were staying at the Manor tonight and making their way to the wedding tomorrow from there – if there was a wedding to go to that was.

Firstly though, he was dropping by Emily's apartment so that they could spend some time together before they set off for the family meal later that evening. He'd been looking forward to it, but now with the knowledge of Wyatt's indecision weighing heavily on his conscience, he wished he'd suggested that he just pick her up at the appointed time instead.

Wyatt and Chloe had decided to forgo the traditional rehearsal dinner in favour of a more intimate affair at the Halliwell Manor. It was to be attended by close family only, which given Wyatt's current vacillation over the wedding was probably a good thing. A jilting or even a confession of doubt was not something to be done in public. It ought to be kept behind closed doors, away from prying eyes and the potential for harmful gossip.

Unable to put off the inevitable any longer, Chris orbed to his girlfriend's apartment, plastering a smile across his face to hide his inner disquiet.

"Hey!" Emily said, kissing him a light hello as he dumped his backpack on the sofa and hung up his shirt and pants on the back of the door.

"Hey!" he returned. "Present for you." He held out a rather wilted posy of wild flowers tied together with a garish, bright pink ribbon.

"Oh! Umm… they're lovely."

Chris's painted-on smile quickly turned genuine as he observed her attempts to appear delighted by his gift. "They're from Leah," he told her with a chuckle. "End of year thank-you present – I got a lime-green, hedgehog-shaped pencil holder."

"Aww! That's so sweet!" Emily gushed.

"Now that they're from a five year old rather than me, huh?" Chris said with a twinkle.

"Yeah well, I expect you to have a little more romantic finesse. A dozen red roses at the very least."

"And here's me thinking you were a cheap date," Chris observed.

Emily stuck her tongue out at him and then turned towards the kitchen. "I should put these in some water," she said.

"So did your Mom and Dad make it to San Francisco okay?" Chris enquired as he followed her through into the adjoining room.

"Yeah – they called from the hotel a couple of hours ago to let me know they'd arrived safely," Emily said, retrieving a small hourglass-shaped vase from one of cupboards and filling it with water.

"I'm not sure Dad's quite up to hitching an orb just yet," she went on with a wry smile. "So they're getting a cab with Aunt Leann and Uncle Michael to the Manor tonight. I think Dad's rather embarrassed to be honest. He knows he showed himself up at the engagement party."

Chris nodded. "So what should I expect?" he asked, "The cold shoulder, civilised conversation or a warm welcome?"

Emily pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I'd hazard a guess at number two," she decided.

"A step up then," Chris remarked dryly.

Emily sighed. "Look, I know the situation isn't ideal right now, but you know what he's been through, Chris. I have to cut him some slack. He's my Dad, and he's making an effort, that's the main thing."

"I know," Chris said, reaching across the counter and placing a reassuring hand over hers. "I wasn't criticizing, I swear. It's just becoming a bit of a habit for me, the fatherly disapproval I mean. Anybody would think I was a complete loser or something."

Emily's lips quirked up in amusement at his self-pitying lament. "It's not all bad," she assured him. "My Mom likes you and she's not the easiest woman to impress, believe me. Easier than your Mom of course, but no pushover even so."

Chris laughed. "Well, I guess that's something," he said. "Maybe there's hope for me after all."

"Maybe," Emily agreed with an answering smile.

They held each other's gaze for a moment and then Emily ducked her head shyly. "It's weird, isn't it?" she said quietly. "To think that this time tomorrow, we'll all be one big family instead of two separate ones. I mean you'll be like my cousin-in-law or something."

"Yeah. Weird," Chris agreed with hollow enthusiasm, thinking he needed to head off this particular topic of conversation quickly if he didn't want to end up stuck between a rock and a hard place.

He wouldn't betray his brother's confidence, but he wasn't comfortable with directly lying to Emily either. Avoidance was the key therefore. He wracked his brains to come up with a suitable change of subject, but his mind had gone completely and utterly blank. Inspiration had deserted him when he needed it the most.

"Are you all right?" Emily asked, quickly noticing his disquiet much to his chagrin.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," he said. "Just thinking…" Maybe he could distract her in another way…

Emily felt a shiver of anticipation run through her as she caught the sudden, speculative gleam that entered her boyfriend's green eyes. She had learned the meaning of _that _look by now, and it always sent her heart rate skyrocketing.

"Chris," she said in feeble protest as he moved purposely around the counter towards her. "We're supposed to be getting ready for tonight."

"We don't have to leave for three hours yet," he reminded her, slipping his arms around her waist from behind and nuzzling affectionately at her temple.

"It might take me that long to get ready," she responded, even as she willingly turned his embrace and looped her arms around his neck.

"Nah! One hour tops," Chris murmured, his dextrous fingers quickly finding the zipper of her dress and slowly sliding it down as he peppered her face, neck and shoulders with sweet, gentle kisses.

When his lips eventually found hers, the last of Emily's resistance crumbled away to dust as she yielded to the devastating impact of his kiss. Sensing her surrender, Chris swept her off her feet and carried her through into the bedroom, where he proceeded to demonstrate the depth and intensity of his feelings for her in no uncertain terms…

**OOOOOO**

_**The Halliwell Manor…**_

Piper surveyed the place settings with a professional eye. Everything was as it should be - the silver cutlery polished to gleaming, the small place cards in the correct order, the silver and white candles in the centre of the table ready to be lit. The only thing that was amiss was her own ambivalent feelings about the whole affair.

"It's hard to let go, huh?"

She turned to see her father standing in the doorway, watching her with a knowing look in his eyes. It was amazing really – that he knew her so well. There was a time when she thought that they'd never be close again. Wyatt and Chris's births had changed all that though. Victor had discovered a new lease of life in his grandsons and she'd gratefully accepted him back into her life, determined to let bygones be bygones. Over twenty years later and all the cracks in their relationship had finally been healed. Even he and Leo got on now.

She nodded wistfully. "I know he's happy and I'm glad of that, but tomorrow I'll be officially demoted as the most important woman in his life and I can't help feeling a bit… well, cast aside, I guess. I know it's silly."

Victor smiled. "No, no it's not. I think that people tend to forget that it's not only the bride that gets given away at a wedding. It's perfectly normal for you to feel like this, Piper. You've been the centre of his world for twenty-six years now. Just be grateful that he's got good taste and is providing you with a lovely daughter-in-law instead of a horror story."

Piper laughed. "What like my demonic step-mother you mean?"

Victor grimaced. "Yes well, the less said about that the better."

Piper smiled, feeling much better thanks to her father's quiet and unequivocal support. "At least I've still got Chris," she said, "So I'm not completely redundant just yet."

Victor shook his head in gentle amusement. "Honey, you'll never be redundant. Your boys will always need a Mom. It's just that now they also need a soul mate, someone that they can build their own family with."

Piper nodded. "So have you met Emily yet?" she asked casually.

"Yes, the other night," her father replied blandly, refusing to be drawn.

"And?" Piper prompted.

Victor grinned. His daughter was utterly predictable when it came to her sons' girlfriends. "And what?" he asked teasingly.

"Dad!"

Victor laughed. "I liked her," he said. "She's bright, vivacious, and she and Chris are very much in tune with each other from what I can see. I think she'll be good for him."

Piper nodded. "She already is," she said. "He seems happier somehow, more relaxed. I guess I never realised how much his problems with Bianca affected him until now."

She sighed dejectedly. "I'm about to lose another son, aren't I?" she lamented.

"Well, it's too early to tell, but if she's not the perfect candidate, then she definitely makes the shortlist," Victor said, as he moved forward and drew his despondent daughter into a warm hug.

"And if I can be forgiven for sounding like a cliché," he went on. "You won't be losing another son; you'll be gaining a second daughter. I learned to put up with Leo eventually, didn't I? So you can certainly learn to accept those two gorgeous young women into your sons' lives."

Piper giggled as she pressed her face against her father's shirt and wrapped her arms around his back. "Oh Dad, I do love you."

"I love you too, honey. And so do your boys, never forget that. They'll only ever have one Mom, you know, which, by my reckoning, makes you pretty much irreplaceable."

Piper, thinking of her feelings for her own long dead mother, knew he was right, and that she should be grateful that her family was so close-knit. There were lots of mothers out there who didn't enjoy anything like the warm, affectionate relationship that she shared with her two sons. She was lucky really. It was time to stop feeling sorry for herself and be glad that her boys were happy and healthy.

She pulled back from her father and tucked her hair behind her ears. "So how do I look?" she asked, giving him a twirl to show off her outfit.

Victor smiled broadly. "Beautiful," he declared.

**OOOOOO**

_**Emily's apartment…**_

"Oh! We're going to be so late," Emily exclaimed in a blind panic. "Chloe is gonna kill me!"

"This is all your fault, you know," she threw back over her shoulder at Chris, who was lounging indolently on the bed, watching with amusement as she flitted frantically between her bedroom and the on-suite, wrapped in a towel and with her hair hanging in wet tendrils around her pretty face.

"I didn't hear you complaining," he said unrepentantly.

"That's not the point!" she retorted.

"It's not?" Chris asked with a wide-eyed, ingenuous look.

Emily shot him a withering glare that would have floored a lesser man, and he laughed. "Relax; we don't have to be there for another forty-five minutes yet," he told her.

He knew his seduction had been rather calculated in nature, but he simply couldn't bring himself to feel guilty about it. It wasn't as if he hadn't wanted her, was it? And Emily had hardly been adverse to the idea either.

"Don't you think you should be getting in the shower?" she asked him pointedly.

Capitulating with a mock sigh of irritation, he rolled off the mattress and crossed to where she'd seated herself in front of the dresser mirror to dry her hair. "You're such a worrywart," he said, placing his hands on her bare shoulders and bending to kiss the side of her slender neck.

"Chris!" Emily protested, swatting him away as if he were a particularly annoying insect.

Chris grinned and rested his chin on top her head, his eyes meeting hers in the mirror in front of them. "You are so mine," he told her reflection.

She wrinkled her nose at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" she said, although she thought she knew perfectly well.

"Just that if I decided to make us even later, you'd let me," he replied confidently.

"Oh, you think so, do you?"

"Oh no, I don't think – I know."

"Err hello? Ego much?"

Chris's eyes took on a distinctly roguish gleam at that. "We could put the theory to the test if you like," he offered.

Emily shook her head with an exasperated smile. "You are a very bad man, Christopher Halliwell."

Chris chuckled and then dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. Her hair held a faint citrus scent, a result of the shampoo she'd used, and he breathed in deeply of the pleasant aroma, allowing it to calm his senses.

Emily tipped her head back and smiled up into his face, mesmerising him with the ethereal beauty of her gentle gaze. Her eyes resembled large blue sapphires such was the jewel-like quality of their allure, and he found that he couldn't resist their pull. Stooping down, he cupped her face in his palms and pressed his mouth against hers in a lingering, upside-down kiss.

"Chris?" she murmured when he eventually released her.

"Hmm?"

"Go take a shower."

"You've got no sense of romance, girl," he informed her as he turned towards the bathroom.

"You've got a one-track mind you mean," she shot back at him, faster than a speeding bullet.

"Possibly so," he agreed without a trace of remorse. "But then I'm not the only one, am I?" he added with a sly wink that set her cheeks to flaming.

As the door closed behind him, Emily shifted her gaze back to the mirror in front of her, regarding her reflection with a critical eye. Her body was still buzzing pleasantly in the aftermath of their lovemaking, and she felt sure that it must show on her face somehow. It wasn't that she was ashamed per se, but she'd rather keep her private life private all the same. Hopefully, with all the attention focused on Wyatt and Chloe tonight, nobody would actually notice the rather glazed look in her eye. It was something to hope for anyway.

Right now however, she needed to get a wriggle on, or their fashionably late arrival would rapidly become an unacceptably late one. Then, not only would she and Chris have to explain the reason for their tardiness, they'd also be subjected to a lecture on punctuality from the blushing bride, both their Moms, probably the groom and more than likely their endless supply of Aunts as well. It just didn't bear thinking about, so she determinedly picked up her brush, turned on the dryer and began to blow-dry her wayward hair…

_**Meanwhile, in the bathroom…**_

Standing under the shower spray, Chris felt his earlier uneasiness return with a vengeance. The couple of blissful hours that he'd just spent lost in Emily's arms had only served to reinforce the growing strength of his feelings for her, and it scared him to think what could happen if Wyatt went ahead and did the unthinkable tonight.

He didn't want to come across as self-absorbed, but it might not be just Wyatt's own relationship that he brought crashing down around his ears. It could be his and Emily's too and it would cut through him like a knife, he knew. He shivered violently at the mere thought of it, in spite of the hot water cascading down over him.

He'd never really had his heart broken before, you see. All his previous relationships had run their natural course and, although he'd been sad that they'd ended, he hadn't found it too difficult to move on because he'd already resigned himself to their demise. This would be different though. This would hurt like holy hell and would shatter his heart into a thousand tiny pieces. Pieces that he knew wouldn't be quite so easy to glue back together again.

He sighed. He should have more faith. Whatever happened between Wyatt and Chloe didn't have to affect him and Emily, not if they didn't allow it to. He'd be able to accept her point of view and her loyalty to her cousin. Moreover, she would understand why he couldn't turn his back on his brother. It would make things awkward at family gatherings, sure, but they could get through it if they both made the effort…

Couldn't they?

Shaking his head, he tried to clear his mind of his maudlin thoughts. It was no use stressing over it. Wyatt hadn't made his decision yet, and even when he did, there wasn't much he could do about it if the outcome wasn't favourable. He was simply going to have to ride out the emotional rollercoaster and see where it ended. He just hoped that the four of them came out of the other end of this with their sanity still intact…

**OOOOOO**

It was when Piper brought out the main course that Emily started to get suspicious. Wyatt and Chloe had been pretty quiet all evening, but she'd half been expecting that. No matter how sure they were about their love for each other, marriage was a big deal. They were bound to be nervous now that the wedding was less than twenty-four hours away.

What she hadn't expected was Chris's lack of animation though. Ever since they'd arrived at the Manor – no before then - when he'd emerged from the bathroom after his shower, he'd been tense, agitated even. She cast a sidelong glance at him now, and saw that his gaze was focused on Wyatt, his eyes boring into the top of his brother's bent head.

Wyatt wasn't eating much, she noted. Instead, he was disinterestedly pushing his food about his plate with his fork, his mind clearly elsewhere. As she watched, he lifted his gaze, startling like a deer in headlights when he noticed Chris's intense scrutiny of him. The two brothers' gaze held for long moment before Wyatt looked away in obvious discomfort. Chris's breath shushed out from between his lips in exasperation, and Emily could no longer keep quiet.

"Is everything okay?" she asked Chris, leaning in towards him to avoid being overheard.

"Yeah, of course," Chris said, his voice sounding insincerely upbeat. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Emily frowned. He was lying to her, but she couldn't really call him on it here at the table with everyone listening. She would have to wait until she could get him alone.

Another ten minutes passed without incident and then Wyatt's composure suddenly seemed to break. Pushing back his chair, he got to his feet. "Excuse me," he mumbled and then abruptly turned and strode from the room.

Phoebe let out a gentle laugh. "I think we might need to make the groom a little something to calm his nerves," she said with an affectionate smile. "You're doing okay aren't you, honey?" she went on to ask Chloe, who was seated next to her.

"I'm a bit nervous, I guess," Chloe replied, "But mostly I'm just excited. Do you think I should go and talk to him?"

"No, I'll do it," Chris cut in quickly, rising from the table before anyone could object.

Emily resisted the urge to immediately follow him, knowing that it would set alarm bells ringing if she did. Instead, she finished the rest of her meal, and then excused herself on the pretence of needing to use the bathroom. Wyatt had disappeared into the kitchen, suggesting that he had gone outside, so Emily slipped out through the front door and made her way around the side of the house.

Unlatching the gate, she went into the back garden and immediately spotted the two brothers deep in conversation in the white, clapperboard gazebo at the bottom of the garden. Wyatt sat with his head in his hands, while Chris stood over him, gesticulating in obvious frustration. Neither noticed her approach, so she was able to eavesdrop on their conversation as she drew nearer.

"You have to make up your mind one way or the other, Wyatt," Chris said, sitting down opposite his brother with a thump.

Wyatt lifted his face from his cupped hands. "Don't you think I don't know that?" he said plaintively. "It's not that easy, you know."

Chris sighed. "At least talk to her," he urged. "She needs to know what's going on. It's not fair to keep her in the dark."

Wyatt nodded, his gaze dropping to his lap. "I know," he said quietly.

Chris got to his feet again. "Look I'll go and… Emily!"

Emily folded her arms across her chest, as Wyatt leapt to his feet as if he'd just received an electric shock. "Okay," she said sternly. "What the hell is going on? And don't even think about lying to me."

The two brothers exchanged a significant glance but didn't answer her question, seeming to think that continued silence was the best option.

"Something's going to happen at the wedding tomorrow, isn't it?" she guessed, seizing on the only possible explanation she could think of. "A demon's going to attack despite all the precautions we've taken, aren't they?"

She was looking at Wyatt as she said this and she saw him react as if he'd been stung by a wasp. He was standing under one of the small lamps that illuminated the gazebo with a bluish-white light, and she could have sworn she saw the colour drain away from his face at her words.

"Wyatt?" she pressed, but he just stared back at her, his body rigid with shock and his blue eyes wide and stark in the midst of his pale face.

"I…" he stuttered, casting a searching look towards the Manor, his brow furrowed in thought. "I… I've got to go."

He shook off his frozen stupor with effort, pushed past her and took off at a run towards the house.

Emily turned to her boyfriend. "Chris, what…?"

Chris was staring after his brother, a sudden clarity of understanding entering his demeanour. "Have you seen Chloe in the last couple of days?" he demanded.

Emily shook her head. "No, I meant to call her but things have been really hectic at work. And I figured she and Wyatt would probably want a bit of peace and quiet before the wedding."

"It's unusual that she hasn't called you though, isn't it?" Chris asked, his green eyes intent on her face.

Emily frowned, only just realising that it was. "Yes, it is. We normally speak at least once every day… What's going on, Chris?"

Her boyfriend took her hand and began to lead her back towards the house. "Here's hoping it's not what I think it is," he said. "Or on the other hand, maybe it'd be good if it is. It all depends on how you look at it, I suppose."

"Stop talking in riddles, Chris. You're not making any sense!"

Chris looked at her. "I know, I'm sorry, but there's no time to explain right now. We need to get back inside before Wyatt goes off the deep end and does something he'll regret."

"Before he goes off the deep end about what?" Emily demanded in exasperation.

Infuriatingly, Chris didn't answer. Instead, he quickened his pace, forcing her to run to keep up with his long strides…

**OOOOOO**

Wyatt burst in through the kitchen doorway, his breath heaving in painful gasps, his heart hammering ten to the dozen inside his chest. How could he have been so stupid? It was so obvious now. Jesus! Had he left his brains behind at Magic School on Wednesday or what?

He forced himself to pause for a moment, to collate his thoughts. He had to tread carefully. He couldn't afford to arouse any suspicion until he had hard and fast proof. Plastering a neutral expression on his face, he went back through into the dining room to rejoin his guests.

"Are you all right, honey?" his mother asked, reaching out to lay her hand on his forearm as he passed by her chair.

"Yeah Mom, I'm fine," he assured her. "I'm just a bit jittery, I guess." He walked round the table and placed a gentle hand on his fiancée's shoulder.

"Can I talk to you for a minute please?" he asked with what he hoped was a 'come hither' look.

Chloe looked up at him with a smile. "Sure," she said agreeably, rising to her feet and following him through into the conservatory.

"What's the matter?" she asked when they were alone. She looked slightly worried now, he noted.

"Nothing," he said with casual indifference. "It's just, you know, we're getting married tomorrow…"

"I know," Chloe said, her voice husky and her eyes modestly downcast.

"And we haven't had any time to be alone tonight…" he went on in a wheedling tone, stepping closer into her body for emphasis.

Responding to his deliberate come-on, Chloe lifted her head and gazed openly up into his face, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. It made him feel physically sick, but he steeled himself against the nausea and palmed her face in his hands. Looking down into her violet-blue eyes, he searched for something that he now realised wasn't there. It hadn't been there for days now. How could he have been so blind not to see what was missing?

There was one thing that he knew would prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt though, so he bent his head and pressed his lips against hers despite the distaste curling in his stomach. The kiss was not the sweet, gentle pecks of the previous few days. This was a kiss of a man who knew what he wanted and was prepared to take it. Chloe's response was immediate: hot, passionate, possessive, and completely and utterly wrong…

**OOOOOO**

Piper looked up sharply at the sound of a crash and Chloe's shocked 'WYATT!'

Leo was already on his feet and moving towards the doorway. She, along with the rest of the party, followed closely on his heels. As they hurried through the entrance hall and into the conservatory, Chris and Emily, who had taken the opposite route through the kitchen and lounge, joined them. They both looked tense, she noted, her son especially and she felt a sliver of fear run through her. What was wrong?

The scene that greeted her in the conservatory shocked her to the very core. Chloe was struggling to her feet, while Wyatt stood over her, his expression bleak and unforgiving. At first, she thought that her son may have actually hit his blonde fiancée, but then she realised that he had merely pushed her backwards, causing her to trip and fall.

Tears were sparking bright in Chloe's eyes and rolling down her cheeks. "Wyatt? What is wrong with you?" she sobbed.

"Stop it!" Wyatt demanded, his tone all the more frightening because it was so quiet, so tightly controlled.

His eyes narrowed and Chloe gasped as she suddenly found herself catapulted across the room until her back collided painfully with the opposite wall.

"WYATT!"

The shocked exclamations came from all quarters, but the man himself ignored them. Striding across the room, he grasped hold of his fiancée's upper arms and shoved her roughly against the wall. "Where is she?" he grated from between clenched teeth. "What have you done with her?"

"Wyatt please!" she sobbed, apparently petrified.

Infuriated by the crocodile tears, Wyatt lost his temper. "Don't play games with me!" he shouted, shaking her violently. "Tell me where she is!"

Leo and Michael Simpson immediately launched themselves forward, grabbed hold of his arms and hauled him bodily backwards.

"Get off me!" he yelled incoherently, struggling to get free.

"Wyatt! Calm down!" Leo exclaimed at a complete loss to understand what had gotten into his normally mild-mannered son.

"It's not Chloe, Dad!" Wyatt shot back at him. "They've done something to her!"

"Who's done something to her?"

"I don't know! Chris, tell them!" Wyatt turned and appealed to his brother, still trying to break free of his father's grasp, not in any state of mind to actually focus his powers enough to do it.

"Chris?" Leo asked his younger son.

"Umm – he could be right, Dad. It's worth investigating at least."

"No!" Chloe cut in desperately, clutching hold of her father's shirt in her clenched fists. "It's me, Daddy. They've got it wrong. I think it's Wyatt who's under the spell. And I know a way to prove it."

Releasing her father from her grasp, she started towards the kitchen, but was immediately stopped in her tracks by a circle of white crystals. "Oh no you don't, missy," Paige said in a no nonsense tone.

"Let my daughter go!" Michael Simpson demanded furiously.

Paige shook her head stubbornly, her expression stern but sympathetic. "Look, I know this is difficult," she said gently, "But we've had a lot of experience of this sort of thing. You need to trust my nephews' judgement on this."

"Uncle Michael, she's right," Emily cut in shakily. "If it's really Chloe, they won't hurt her, I promise. But if it's not…" she left the statement hanging as the full horror of the situation crashed in on her. Her hands rising to cover her mouth, she turned into Chris's embrace with an anguished sob.

Chris took her into his arms, but his gaze was trained on his brother. He could tell that Wyatt was struggling to put together a coherent strategy, his fear for Chloe banishing all rational thought from his brain.

"The spell," he suggested in an urgent tone. "Reverse the spell."

Wyatt looked at his brother blankly for a moment, but finally managed to gather his wits about him to do what was necessary. Closing his eyes, he wracked his brains for an answer, eventually deciding to go with a variation on the old faithful. With the added kick of his twice-blessed power, it should do the trick, he reasoned.

"Let the object of objection become but a dream,

As I cause the illusion to become unseen."

As Wyatt watched with growing horror, the air around the fake Chloe's form shimmered like a mirage until eventually it cleared to reveal a tall, beautiful dark-haired young woman. She looked vaguely familiar but he couldn't quite place her identity.

"You!" Emily hissed venomously from behind him and he quickly turned to look at her.

"It's her!" she said off his questioning look. "Heather's sister, Carolina. I knew there was something not quite right about the two of them."

To be honest, Wyatt wasn't really bothered about that right now. There was only one thing that he wanted to know. "Where is she?" he demanded.

"Where's who?" Carolina asked with fake innocence.

"Don't try my patience," he warned her ominously.

"Oh right, you mean the little woman," she replied in an off-hand tone. "I disposed of _her_ days ago."

"Y-you w-what?" Wyatt couldn't keep the tremor of fear out of his voice.

"Well, I couldn't have her getting in the way now, could I? Three's a crowd and all that."

"WHERE IS SHE?"

"Do you reckon you could try a different refrain?" she asked blandly, "Because this one is getting rather tedious if you ask me."

Wyatt called her something unrepeatable then and her expression hardened at the insult.

"Face it, sweetheart," she told him coldly. "The fairytale is over. All those happily ever afters y'all love so much? They're really lame, you know. Give me a good old tragedy any day. It's much more satisfying."

Wyatt just stared at her and she rolled her eyes. "Geez! Do I have to spell it out for you? Your precious Chloe? She's six feet under. Are you getting it yet? Has the concept infiltrated your tiny brain? She's dead, you hear?"

"D-E-A-D. Dead."

_**To be continued…**_


	41. Search and Rescue

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! New chapter for you. Sorry it's taken so long – I don't have as much free time to write as I used to :-(

I made a bit of a boo-boo in the last chapter btw, got my character names mixed up. The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted that Heather's sister/the Chloe impostor was called Carolina in earlier chapters, but turned into Carolyn in the last one! I've gone back and replaced the last chapter to get rid of the discrepancy though, so she's back to Carolina in this part.

Carolyn was the name I gave to Chris's High-school sweetheart in case you were wondering. We've never actually met her, but she has been mentioned a couple of times in passing. Oh, and I started this story before I saw Season 8 so Phoebe and Paige's husbands are my creation rather than the 'real' ones.

Anyway, explanations over, let's get on with the show…

**OOOOOO**

_**Last time…**_

"Face it, sweetheart," Carolina told him coldly. "The fairytale is over. All those happily ever afters y'all love so much? They're really lame, you know. Give me a good old tragedy any day. It's much more satisfying."

Wyatt just stared at her and she rolled her eyes. "Geez! Do I have to spell it out for you? Your precious Chloe? She's six feet under. Are you getting it yet? Has the concept infiltrated your tiny brain? She's dead, you hear?"

"D-E-A-D. Dead."

**OOOOOO**

**Chapter 41**

'_No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!'_

It was the only word that Wyatt's mind could muster, but it seemed to capture his feelings perfectly in that horrifying moment of realisation. It couldn't be true, it couldn't… Chloe, his Chloe - dead… Oh God … Grief crashed over him like a tidal wave and he reeled under its devastating onslaught.

Numb with shock, Chris watched as his brother literally staggered backwards under the force of Carolina's shattering pronouncement. It was almost as if Wyatt shrank before his very eyes, his calm underlying steadfastness withering away until he was a mere shell of the man that he was before. Was this how the progress of their lives was going to be compartmentalised from now on, he wondered. Before Chloe and after? But no, this wasn't right, it couldn't be. He was missing something here. Something vitally important…

Close on the heels of Wyatt's overwhelming grief came anger - hot, boiling implacable fury. They would pay for this. They would not take away his life and get away with it. They would rue the day they ever thought of crossing him. He was the legendary Twice-Blessed Child, the most powerful witch that ever lived. He could end their sorry existence with a mere click of his fingers if he so chose. And he did…

"Wyatt! NO!"

Wyatt swore violently as Chris leapt between his upraised palm and the crystal cage that he would have reduced to stardust. He had been horribly close to vanquishing his own brother, only just managing to rein in his power before it was unleashed. Did the stupid idiot have a death-wish or something?

"Get out of my way, Chris!" he hissed through clenched teeth, knowing that if he didn't keep a tight control of his emotions right now he was going to go into complete meltdown.

Chris stubbornly shook his head. "No, listen to me," he said, reaching out to grasp hold of his brother's upper arms in his hands. "She's bluffing, she has to be. You can't perform a body swap spell if one of the participants is dead. Chloe's alive, Wyatt. She's alive."

Chris shook his brother slightly, trying to get this through to him. It took a while for it to sink into Wyatt's shell-shocked brain but, when it did, relief flooded his veins like a soothing balm. If he hadn't been sure about how felt for Chloe before now, the pain of that horrible moment of loss, and the subsequent relief of this respite, had wiped away any lingering doubt.

"Well, whadda you know? The sidekick has brains. Who'd have thought it, hey?"

"Shut up!" Chris snapped at the exulting brunette behind him, his mind working furiously to come up with some kind of plan. It was becoming increasingly obvious that Carolina wasn't going to tell them where she had Chloe imprisoned. She seemed to take great delight in twisting the knife, a happenstance that was confirmed by her next statement:

"Well if you absolutely insist, but I thought it might be worth mentioning that your big brother did just sign his sweet little chippy's death warrant. If the spell is reversed without my explicit say-so, my cohorts know what action to take."

This, Chris suspected, wasn't such a bluff. Carolina was definitely the kind of woman who subscribed to the 'if I can't have him, no one can' school of thought. They needed to find Chloe before it was too late.

"What do you want with my son?"

Piper had moved forward to stand in front of the shimmering crystal cage, her arms folded across her chest and her brown eyes glittering dangerously.

"What? You mean aside from the obvious?" Carolina replied, giving Wyatt a lustful once-over that made Piper feel sick to the stomach.

She was aware that her boys were both attractive men in their own inimitable ways, but there was a whole world of difference between the perverse attraction that Carolina was displaying for her eldest and the healthy chemistry that existed between him and his fiancée. Chloe's desires were pure, unadulterated, bound by a framework of true and honest love for her son, not fuelled by a need to possess or own him, as Carolina's clearly were.

"Power – what else?" Carolina went on, seemingly unconcerned that she was entirely at their mercy. "Really Piper, I thought you'd want your son to have a more worthy wife than the Girl-Next-Door from Hicksville. She doesn't have the slightest clue what being the mate of the most powerful witch in history means, you know. No ambition whatsoever. Now take me for instance, I know exactly the power that particular status affords me, and the magical authority I could wield with it."

Having managed to regain his composure somewhat, Wyatt scoffed scornfully at that. "Dream on, babe," he said, his voice dripping with sarcastic venom. "I would never kow-tow to you, wife or no wife."

Carolina laughed contemptuously. "Believe me, honey. You really wouldn't have had much of a choice, not with the marriage ceremony that I had in mind. What were the bridegroom's vows again? Oh yeah – obey or death do us part. The Demoness Lisska had the right idea if you ask me. Men are so much more manageable if they're securely under the thumb."

"You're sick, you know that?" Emily said in disgust. "Not to mention sad. I mean, needing to impersonate someone else to attract a man. How pathetic is that?"

Carolina's eyes flashed fire at this insult, but she managed to hold onto her self-possession nevertheless. "And moping around over Halliwell Junior over there for nearly a year wasn't?" she countered spitefully. "If anyone has no self-respect it's you, darling, not me."

Seeing Emily's volatile temper start to rise, Chris quickly reached out and wrapped a restraining arm around her middle from behind. "Don't bite," he warned in her ear. "That isn't going to help Chloe and it's her we should be concentrating on right now."

His father appeared to be of the same opinion, because he caught hold of Wyatt's upper arm in a firm grip and inclined his head pointedly towards the kitchen. Wyatt, after a moment's indecision, reluctantly followed him, closely followed by everyone else. Carolina was left trapped in her crystal cage with nothing and no one to torment, much to her obvious chagrin.

"You need to let this go…" Leo started, but Michael Simpson jumped in indignantly before he could finish what he was going to say.

"What? My daughter – your son's fiancée - is out there somewhere being subjected to god knows what, and you think he should just 'let it go.' Are you crazy?"

"I'm sure that's not what Leo meant," Phoebe cut in quickly, and then looked expectantly at her brother-in-law for what she hoped was confirmation of that.

"Of course not," Leo replied. "I meant he shouldn't make the mistake of getting caught up in Carolina's twisted little game. She's playing you, Wyatt. Stalling for time. You can deal with any necessary retribution later. Right now, you need to focus on finding Chloe. You have other methods at your disposal to do that, so I suggest use them instead of wasting valuable time on pointless conversation."

"Dad's right, Wyatt," Chris said. "We're never gonna extract any useful information out of her. The bitch isn't going to talk, no matter how hard you lean on her."

Wyatt nodded, his face very pale and his eyes shadowed with growing guilt. How had he not known? Why had he questioned Chloe's commitment to their relationship instead of realising that she'd been replaced?

"I can't sense her," he told them. "I've already tried that."

"Which tells you one thing at least," Leo pointed out.

"That she's probably in the Underworld," Wyatt said.

"And more than likely magically cloaked as well," Chris put in. "I'm betting Carolina's nothing if not thorough about stuff like that. She wouldn't want to be found out prematurely, would she?"

"I could scry for her, I suppose," Wyatt mused thoughtfully.

"Why would that work when you can't sense her?" Emily demanded, fear for her cousin making her unintentionally waspish.

Chris looked at his girlfriend and then back at his brother. "She has a point," he admitted reluctantly.

"Actually, you know, it just might work," Paige said slowly, her eyes narrowing in thought. "It has before."

"It has?" Piper asked her sister in bewilderment.

"Yeah – when the other Chris sent Leo to Valhalla to get him out of the way and I was scrying for him, remember?"

Piper grimaced. "Not really. You erased all my memories I believe."

Paige wrinkled her nose at her sister. "Not on purpose," she protested. "Well anyway, I was having no luck scrying for Leo on my own, so I got baby Wyatt to help me. At the time, I thought the stronger the familial connection, the better the chance of success… But maybe it was more than that – I mean Valhalla's got to be magically cloaked, right?"

She glanced questionably at Leo, who nodded. "Yes, the Valkaries are very particular about keeping their world hidden."

"So maybe I couldn't find you by myself, because only Wyatt has the power to break through an enchantment as strong as that," Paige finished.

Leo nodded again. "It does make sense," he concurred.

Piper placed a comforting hand against her son's back. "The scrying board is in the attic," she told him in a soft, gentle tone.

Wyatt nodded. "Can I borrow your scrying crystal?" he asked, referring to a large, oval-cut amethyst that his Mom and Aunts had infused with the Power of Three ten years earlier.

"Of course, sweetie, I'll get it for you."

Piper started towards the kitchen doorway and then turned back to look at her sisters. "Phoebe, Paige – why don't you make everyone a cup of tea or coffee?"

"And you should probably re-enforce that crystal cage too," she added, gesturing towards the conservatory.

With that, she disappeared out into the hallway and up the stairs, her two sons and Emily close on her heels. Michael and Leann Simpson looked like they wanted to follow as well, but Phoebe quickly reached out and placed a restraining hand on the latter's forearm.

"Scrying's easier if there's not too many distractions," she gently reminded Chloe's worried parents. "It's best if we give Wyatt some space to concentrate. He'll let us know if he finds anything."

"What if it doesn't work?" Leann asked tremulously.

"Then we'll find another way," Phoebe reassured her. "Wyatt's not going to give up. He loves Chloe."

"Are you all right?" Bella Hargreaves asked her husband. It has been a huge step forward for David to come here tonight, but she knew this must have thrown him. It was a bit too close to his sister's sorry demise for comfort. Moreover, Chloe was his niece and he loved her.

Her husband nodded, his expression pinched. Despite the danger that Chloe was currently in, he couldn't deny that the Halliwells were all rallying around to find her. They had shown none of the careless disregard for her wellbeing that had been displayed by the majority of his sister's magical friends.

"I'm trying to keep an open mind," he told his wife tautly.

"Good." Bella reached out and squeezed his hand briefly, and then turned towards her distraught brother and sister-in-law, knowing how helpless they must feel right now.

"There's a box of crystals in the cupboard in the conservatory," Leo informed his younger sister-in-law as he filled the kettle at the kitchen sink.

Paige nodded and then beckoned to her husband, Nick, who was standing nearby with Phoebe's other half, Paul. "Why don't you, Paul and Victor take the girls home?" she suggested quietly. "We'll call you if there's any news."

"Sure," Nick agreed amiably, knowing it was preferable to keep his daughters and nieces out from under foot at a time like this. When he and Paul attempted to round up their unruly broods however, their actions were greeted with a storm of protest.

"I'm staying," Prue said pugnaciously. "Chloe's is my friend. And I'm old enough now." She glared at her mother.

Phoebe regarded her eldest quietly for a moment and then nodded. "Okay, but you two…" She pointed imperiously at her two other daughters, "Go with your Dad, Grandpa and Uncle Nick."

"I don't want to hear it," she added sternly when Kayla and Natalie immediately opened their mouths to object.

"Come on," Nick said firmly to his and Paige's eldest daughter, Patty, as Victor bent down and scooped little Amy up into his arms.

Patty obeyed without protest, although her mouth was set in a sullen pout, an expression replicated on her two cousins' faces as Paul herded his daughters out of the kitchen. Just after Phoebe and Paige had finally closed the door on their departing families, Piper came down the stairs and joined them in the entrance hall.

"Are those the crystals?" she asked, indicating the wooden box in her younger sister's hands.

Paige nodded in confirmation.

"Well then, how about we have another chat with the arrogant little missy in there?" Piper suggested. "No one treats my son like that and gets away with it."

"My thoughts exactly," Phoebe said grimly. "Leo was right to pull Wyatt away - he's too emotional to be objective and his talents are better employed elsewhere anyway - but it's always best to fight a battle on two fronts if at all possible. Paige – are you with us?"

Her mouth settling into a thin, determined line, the youngest Charmed One nodded. "Let's go and flex some Power of Three muscle," she declared bleakly…

**OOOOOO**

_**The Attic, fifteen minutes later…**_

Emily hugged her knees to her chest as she tried to ignore all the defeatist thoughts running through her mind. Chloe would be okay; she had to be. Losing her was unfathomable, an unacceptable outcome to the situation. Wyatt wouldn't let that happen, he couldn't.

She was sitting curled up on one end of the sofa, watching as Wyatt swirled a dangling crystal in a wide arc over the scrying board laid out on the low, wooden table in front of him. Chris was standing nearby, flicking through the Book of Shadows looking for she knew not what. Rather surprisingly, Piper had left her sons to it after she had retrieved the scrying crystal from a drawer in her bedside cabinet. The occasional echoing cry of pain coming from downstairs however, soon clued Emily into her reason for that.

It made her feel slightly uncomfortable to be honest. Carolina appeared so human, although logically Emily knew that that must not be the case. Whether she was a demon or simply an evil witch, she held Chloe's life in the palm of her hand, so the Charmed Ones' were only doing what was necessary. An innocent life was at stake and needs must. She needed to learn not to be so feeble-minded when it came to things like that.

Wyatt let the scrying crystal drop to the table with a heavy sigh. "This isn't working," he declared, setting his fingers against his temples and shaking his head in self-disgust. "I should have known it wasn't her," he berated himself.

"You figured it out in the end," Chris said soothingly, leaning casually against the lectern that held the open Book of Shadows. "And not before time, if this is anything to go by," he added, tapping the page in front of him with his forefinger. "Carolina was right; you'd definitely be stuck in an obey-or-die scenario if the wedding had gone ahead."

"Which is hardly relevant right now," Wyatt snapped back irritably.

Chris sighed and approached the sofa where the other two were sitting, side by side, in dejected unison. "You're trying too hard," he said. "You need to relax."

Wyatt let out a derisive snort. "Relax? Yeah right. Chloe has been kidnapped or hadn't you noticed?"

"I'm serious, Wyatt. You have to empty your mind of all negative emotion and focus on what you're scrying for. I know it's difficult but you have to do it. For Chloe's sake."

Wyatt drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to push aside the debilitating fear for his fiancée and concentre solely on the task at hand. Picking up the scrying crystal again, he closed his eyes, and focused on the power within, deliberately keeping his breathing slow and steady to aid in his efforts. Chloe's beautiful face rose like an ethereal mirage behind his closed eyelids and he used it to spur him on.

'_Show me where she is_,' he silently urged the swinging crystal.

Emily watched with bated breath. Something was happening, she could tell. A shimmering aura of power seemed to be radiating from Wyatt's very pores, making the air around him undulate and glow with a faint, blue hue. She looked over at Chris, tension stretching her nerves so tight that she feared they would snap.

Chris nodded encouragingly at her and reached out take her hand. He stayed silent however, not wanting to break his brother's intense concentration. Wyatt had finally managed to tap into the power that had eluded him. The power that had been stunned into inactivity by intense emotional trauma, but that was now reasserting itself with a vengeance.

The crystal swung ponderously in a figure-of-eight rhythm over the board, vibrating slightly as it sought out its desired subject. Prompted by some unknown inner instinct, Wyatt moved his hand a little to the left and the crystal jumped in response. It then began to trace out its trajectory at an ever-increasing rate until it was just a blur of colour, the speed of its movement indistinguishable to the human eye.

Chris winced as Emily's nails cut into the palm of his hand, but he, like her, could not tear his eyes away from the whirling crystal. Wyatt's breathing was loud and harsh now. He could tell his efforts were finally paying off and was finding it increasingly difficult to focus as a result, his emotions playing havoc with his concentration once more.

Luckily, he held it together just long enough for the crystal to drop, like a heat-seeking missile, onto the board, where it landed with a dull thunk that seemed to bounce off the surrounding walls. Wyatt's eyes immediately snapped open, his pupils wide and dilated. He quickly bent over to check the position of the crystal on the board, and then hurriedly scrambled to his feet.

"Wait!" Chris said, catching his arm. "You don't know what you're heading into."

"I don't care, Chris!"

"At least see if Mom and the Aunts have found out anything useful. It'll take thirty seconds - max."

Wyatt, with considerable effort, consented to this suggestion and promptly orbed the three of them downstairs, before his brother could even think about focusing his own power to do so. Hearing their arrival, the Charmed Ones turned around and promptly abandoned their interrogation at the look on Wyatt's face.

"Did you find her?" Piper asked urgently, as they moved out of Carolina's earshot and into the hallway.

Wyatt nodded. "Anything?" he asked them tersely in return.

"Brute demons as guards," Paige said, as the others joined them from the kitchen, also alerted by the musical sound of Wyatt's orbs, "But that's about it."

"It'll have to be enough," Wyatt replied. "I can't wait any longer. I have to go now."

"Not on your own, you're not," Piper said. "We're coming with you."

"Me too," Chris quickly added.

"And me," Emily said.

"No!" both Chris and David Hargreaves protested simultaneously.

"She's my cousin!" Emily fired at her father. "And we talked about this," she told Chris. "I'm not going to take a backseat just because we're sleeping together."

"Just let her come along," Wyatt said sharply as his brother opened his mouth to object.

"What?" Chris whirled on him, his expression aghast.

"You can stay here and argue about it to your heart's content if you like," Wyatt said irritably, "But I don't have the time. I'm leaving now - with you or without you. It's your choice."

Chris grudgingly surrendered. "No playing the heroine, okay?" he instructed Emily as he grasped her hand in his and reached out towards his brother with the other, "Just do exactly as I say."

Emily knew better than to argue with him so she stayed silent as the Charmed Ones completed the circle, Phoebe taking Emily's other hand and Piper grasping Wyatt's, Paige in between her two sisters. Seconds later, the young potion-maker felt the familiar sensation of orbing overtake her and she closed her eyes in response. When her body re-solidified, she opened them to find herself in dark, underground tunnel lit by flaming torches, which sat in iron brackets fixed to the stone walls.

"Brute demons ten o'clock," Phoebe suddenly cried out, making Emily jump out of her skin.

In direct response to her sister's sharp warning, Piper twisted around and blew up one of their would-be attackers with a quick flick of her fingers, while the other burst into flames in response to a casual blink of Wyatt's eyes.

"And four o'clock!" Emily gasped, turning around as two more demons bore down on her from behind. Lifting her hands, she pushed them back a few paces with her telekinesis power. It prevented them from reaching her, but didn't stop their advance for long. She simply wasn't strong enough to hold them back.

"Get down!" Chris said, shoving her roughly aside and gesturing at the demons with his hand. The two burly demons were instantly lifted off their bucket-sized feet by the resulting shockwave of telekinetic power. Both of them landed heavily on their backs, and then attempted to right themselves, struggling like a couple of overgrown turtles in the process.

"Torches!" Paige said commandingly, gesturing at the flaming objects on the wall and directing them towards the demons with an imperious point of her finger.

Thinking fast on his feet, Chris quickly added his newly acquired energy-expanding power to his Aunt's orbs, enhancing the effects of the torch flames so that the two demons were engulfed in a huge fireball from which there was no hope of escape.

"Well, go Chris!" Paige remarked when the dust settled, clearly impressed with her nephew's new power. Chris threw her an answering grin and then turned back towards the others. "Is that it?" he asked.

"Seems so," Piper said, as Wyatt took off at a run down the tunnel towards the arch-like opening at the end.

They all hurried after him, emerging out onto a broad balcony, which looked down over a sunken circular cave about twenty feet below. A roughly hewn flight of stone steps descended down into the pit, but that was not what drew their attention. Far below, a familiar figure lay face down in the dirt, surrounded by a pool of what looked like blood, although it was difficult to tell in the dim gloom of the cave.

"Oh God, Chloe!" Emily whispered, as Wyatt, Chris and Paige orbed on mass over the balcony edge down to the dusty ground below.

As Wyatt fell to his knees beside his prone fiancée and reached out blindly towards her, Emily, Piper and Phoebe hurried along the ledge and descended the steps, reaching his side just as he turned Chloe over onto her back. Emily let out a gasp of horror at the sight that greeted her.

Her cousin's eyes were closed, her skin a horrible grey colour and her lips blue. The entire front of her clothing was saturated with congealing blood, which was coming from a jagged stab wound just under her ribcage. His breath heaving in panicked gasps, Wyatt held out his hands over the gaping wound, attempting to heal her, but Emily had the horrible feeling that it was too late, that nothing could bring Chloe back.

"Wyatt honey…"

Her expression stricken, Piper moved forward and reached out to place a comforting hand on her son's shoulder, but Wyatt immediately shook her off.

"She's not dead," he insisted brokenly. "She's not."

"He's right, Mom," Chris cut in quietly. "I can still sense her… Just," he finished rather ominously.

"Aunt Paige, help me!" Wyatt demanded frantically, tears streaming down his cheeks as he realised that his efforts were having no effect on Chloe's desperate condition.

Paige quickly added her own healing power to that of her nephew's but still nothing happened. Chloe remained still and lifeless, slowly taking on the frozen appearance of a porcelain doll.

"Get your father. Now!" Piper whirled around and ordered her younger son in a sharp tone.

Chris nodded and orbed back to the Manor. "Dad! We need you," he gasped, the moment he emerged out the cloud of blue orb lights.

"What is it?" Leann asked in a petrified tone.

Chris shook his head. "Sorry, no time to explain," he said as he and his father promptly orbed back out again.

Back in the Underworld, they found Phoebe physically having to restrain a hysterical Emily as Chloe's situation looked ever more bleak. Chris moved forward to take his girlfriend into his arms, while Leo joined his son and sister-in-law in the healing effort. The yellow glow grew brighter with the addition of the Elder's power, but Chloe remained unconscious, hovering in that hazy place between life and death.

"Oh god, oh god," Emily moaned, burying her face against Chris's chest as he stroked her hair and shushed her with nonsensical words of comfort.

"Why isn't it working?" Wyatt burst out in anguish a few moments later. "It should be working."

Leo glanced over at his youngest son. "Chris – we need your help."

"What? But I can't…"

"The power to heal lies within every whitelighter," his father explained, "But not every whitelighter can exercise it. Hopefully we can find a way to pull it out of you somehow."

"You'll have to do this," the Elder then told his older son. "Yours is the stronger connection."

Wyatt nodded as Chris handed a sobbing Emily over to his Mom and moved to kneel down opposite his brother. He placed his hands over his Dad's and then looked questionably at him.

"Now what?"

"Relax," Leo advised. "You need to let Wyatt inside your mind so that he can tap into your power. Your first instinct will be to repel him, so you're going to have to fight it. He's not powerful enough to override your inherent need to protect yourself. If you don't let him in, he won't be able to use your power and Chloe..." he trailed off and looked sadly at his future daughter-in-law for emphasis.

Chris squared his shoulders. "Okay," he said with a nod. "Do it."

Seconds later, he felt Wyatt's thoughts penetrate his mind and, as their father had predicted, he instinctively pushed them back, slamming up a protective wall and forcing his brother to retreat.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he muttered, taking a few calming breaths. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and then opened them again, meeting his brother's anguished gaze head on. "Okay I'm ready, try again," he instructed.

Wyatt's thoughts intruded again, but this time Chris knew what to expect and compelled himself to remain calm and keep his mind open to his brother's mental incursion. It was incredibly difficult, but maintaining eye contact seemed to help, so he focused on that. Wyatt's mind melded peculiarly with his own and, all of a sudden, he was hit with the onslaught of his brother's out-of-control emotions. Grief, guilt, fear, love – it was all there in spades, and Chris immediately felt uncomfortable about his enforced voyeurism of his sibling's private feelings. It wasn't right.

'_No!'_ Wyatt's voice sounded in his head. '_If this saves her, I don't care. She's the only thing that matters right now.'_

Realising that his innate sense of right and wrong was making him put up mental barriers, Chris forced himself to relax once more. Moments later, he felt a warm glow start in the pit of his stomach, which gradually spread throughout his entire body until he could no longer contain it.

Staring down at his hands, he watched, round-eyed, as they began to glow. Love was flowing out of him, a river of pure life that extinguished all signs of death in its path. It grew brighter and brighter until he had to shut his eyes against its blinding light. It felt so good, but it was also draining him of energy, sapping his strength. The edges of his vision began to blur grey…

"CHRIS! STOP!"

His father's sharp voice cut through his reverie, bringing him back to his senses, but he was weak, so weak…

"Chris!"

Both Piper and Emily surged forwards as he slumped over sideways, but Leo was quicker, catching his son as he fainted.

"Is he alright?" Wyatt demanded, his face pale and his eyes frightened.

He was holding a weakly crying Chloe in his arms. Tapping into Chris's dormant healing power had done the trick, but he hadn't expected this. Saving Chloe wasn't supposed to be at his brother's expense.

"He'll be fine," Leo assured him. "He just doesn't know how to control it, that's all. He gave too much of himself. Don't worry; we stopped him before he went completely overboard."

Chris stirred and murmured unintelligibly then, drawing his father's attention back to him. Half a minute later, the young witch-whitelighter opened his eyes and struggled to a sitting position, noting with relief that Chloe was thankfully healed, if still a little shell-shocked by her ordeal.

"Whoa! That was a rush!" he declared emphatically.

"Which is precisely why you should never attempt it again," Leo told him firmly, helping him to his feet. "Healing is an expression of love because you need that emotion to make the sacrifice. What you're essentially doing is taking life from yourself and giving it to someone else though. Give too much and…"

"Bye, bye Chris," his son finished for him succinctly, complete with gruesome sound-effect and accompanying slit-throat gesture.

Leo nodded gravely. "Which nobody wants…"

"Well, apart from pretty much every demon in the Underworld," Chris pointed out.

"Aside from that," Leo responded, shooting his youngest a glimmer of a smile before turning serious once more. "The point is, you need to know where to draw the line and you obviously don't. Maybe that's the only difference between whitelighters that can heal and those that can't in the end. I guess it's just a question of personality."

"So the more selfish among us get the power," Chris quipped with grin, "Whereas we noble sorts just have to content ourselves with knowing that we're morally superior."

Leo rolled his eyes long-sufferingly. "I think it's a little more complicated than that," he said defensively.

Chris laughed. "If you say so, Dad."

"All right," Piper said, smoothly taking charge of the situation. "I think it's about time we got out of here. Leann and Michael must be beside themselves, we shouldn't prolong their anguish any more than we have to."

"No!" she added as Chris reached out his hand towards Emily. "Let your Dad orb you. Save your strength."

"Mom, I'm fine!" Chris protested.

Piper wasn't having any of it though. "Humour me, okay?" she said plaintively. "I'm having an overprotective Mom attack right now. Watching you keel over like that was definitely not on my list of things to do today, and I don't want to repeat the experience if I can help it."

Grumbling good-naturedly, Chris desisted and magnanimously allowed himself to be orbed back to the Manor like a good boy. They arrived to find the house in complete disarray however, with several pieces of broken furniture littering the conservatory and Carolina gone.

"Mom? Dad?" Emily called out in a panic. First Chloe, then Chris, now this. Could this day get any worse, she wondered. She wasn't sure how much more she could take.

"It's okay, we're all fine," Bella assured her daughter, hurrying in from the kitchen with Prue and her husband in tow. Leann and Michael were immediately behind them and both let out low cries of relief as they spotted their daughter.

"Well, almost fine," Emily's Mom clarified, indicating the large cut decorating Prue's forehead.

"I tried to stop her, Mom," Prue said to Phoebe as Leo quickly moved forward to heal his niece, "But she got away."

"We didn't re-seal the outer cage before we left," Paige realised, picking up a discarded crystal from the floor. "Wyatt distracted us and we forgot all about it."

"I'm sorry," Prue said dejectedly, her eyes downcast.

"Don't sweat it," Piper soothed her niece. "I doubt she'll try anything else tonight, or for the foreseeable future in fact. If she's any sense, she'll lie low for a while. We can track her down when we have more time. There are more important things to worry about right now."

She looked over to where Wyatt was sitting on the bottom step, his head in his hands. His shoulders were shaking and Piper instinctively knew her son was silently crying. Her heart went out to him and she automatically moved forward to comfort him, but Chloe, who had just untangled herself from her parent's embrace, beat her to it.

"Wyatt?" she queried softly.

Wyatt lifted his tear-stained face, his blue eyes anguished. "I should have known she wasn't you," he said in a broken tone. "How did I not know? How? And how are you supposed to ever forgive me for that?"

Chloe opened her mouth to offer words of reassurance and comfort, but something stopped her before she could voice them. She realised with a horrible jolt that she didn't know anything about what had gone on between him and her impostor during the days of her imprisonment. She loved him and knew that he loved her, but this had changed things between them, there was no getting away from that. It didn't matter how much they didn't want it to, it was just the way it was, and they had to find a way to deal with it.

She'd lost track of time a bit, but she knew that the wedding must be close at hand. How could she marry him when she didn't know whether they'd be able to get through this or not though? Everything was so up in the air at the moment. She needed to know the truth before she could make any kind of sensible decision about their future.

"I… I think we need to talk," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

Wyatt stared back at her for a long moment, and then dropped his gaze and nodded in miserable agreement.

_**To be continued…**_

**A/N2: **I know this is a little shorter than usual, but this is the natural chapter break. The next scene, although written, belongs in the following chapter so I've kept it there.


	42. Heart to Heart

**UNREQUITED **

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes: **Hi! Nice long chapter for you :-) There's some adult talk between various characters in places, so please be suitably warned. Otherwise, let's get on with the show…

**OOOOOO **

**Chapter 42 **

"Hey!"

Emily sat down next to Chris on the loveseat in the conservatory. It was getting late now, approaching midnight, and the atmosphere in the Manor was not the one of happy anticipation that it should have been. Instead, they were all waiting on tenterhooks to find out whether the much talked about wedding was still going to go ahead or not.

"Hey!" Chris said, quietly returning her softly-spoken greeting and leaning forward to plant a gentle kiss on her lips as he did so.

"So, how are you doing?" Emily asked when they drew apart. She absently reached out to straighten his shirt, nervous tension making her fidgety.

"I'm fine," Chris replied, "Just a little tired is all."

"Want one?" he asked, holding up the plate of sandwiches that Piper had foisted upon him. "My Mom thinks I need to be fed but I'm really not that hungry."

"You and me both," Emily said with a sigh.

Tipping her head back, she looked up at the ceiling as if trying to see through it to Wyatt's childhood bedroom above – the place where he and Chloe had retreated to talk things over a short while before.

"You think they can work this out?" she asked him.

"I think if anybody can, they can," Chris replied.

Emily studied him for a moment, an anxious frown creasing her brow. "In time for the wedding?" she said.

Chris sighed. "Now that, I don't know. I guess it all depends on how Chloe reacts to things."

"I still can't believe it took Wyatt so long to figure out that it wasn't her," Emily said. "You'd think he'd just know, wouldn't you?"

"I think he did on some level," Chris said. "But there was just so much other stuff going on inside his head that he couldn't see the wood for the trees."

Emily raised her eyebrows at this rather cryptic statement. "Err - can I say vague much?" she quipped.

Chris's lips quirked up into a small smile in response to her gentle sarcasm. "I know, I'm sorry, but it's kind of Wyatt's business, you know?"

Emily nodded. "Yeah, I know," she said, accepting his wish to respect his brother's privacy.

She shifted position then, nestling her head against his collarbone and wrapping her left arm around his middle. Chris turned his head and tenderly kissed her hair, his arm automatically rising to encircle her waist and hip.

"It might take some time, but they will figure this out," he assured her quietly. "What they have is too good for them to let this come between them."

Emily sighed and snuggled in closer to him. "I hope so," she said in a faintly despondent tone, "I really do."

**OOOOOO **

**_Wyatt's bedroom, half an hour earlier… _**

Trying to ignore the leaden feeling in the pit of her stomach, Chloe entered the darkened room ahead of her fiancé and sat down gingerly on the end of the bed. As Wyatt closed the door and reached out to turn on the standard lamp in the corner, she silently studied the floor, trying to figure out what she wanted to say. It wasn't a conversation she was relishing that was for sure.

"Chloe?"

Wyatt's voice was hoarse with emotion and that prompted her to lift her eyes and meet his worried gaze. "Wyatt, I…" she began, but he cut her off before she could continue.

"They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"What aside from the gigantic stab wound in my chest you mean?" she responded wryly.

Wyatt blanched at that, the tortured expression in his eyes becoming even more haunted than it already was. "Chloe…"

Her name was uttered as a plaintive murmur, which immediately made her feel guilty about her flippancy. He'd almost watched her die; it wasn't an experience that she should be making light of. Moreover, he was asking her a serious question, one that deserved a proper answer.

Wanting to reassure him, she shook her head. "No… I mean, it wasn't much fun being imprisoned like that, but no, they didn't hurt me."

Wyatt sagged in relief. It was what he'd been most afraid of - that she'd been suffering horrendously while he'd been oblivious to her plight. He couldn't have born the responsibility of that. The heavy burden of guilt would have weighed like a millstone around his neck.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered in an agonised tone.

Chloe's breath hitched in her throat as she struggled to fight back the threatening tears. She was scared of what he was about to tell her, but knew that they couldn't move on if she didn't hear it – all of it, however painful it turned out to be.

"I… I need you to tell me," she began falteringly. "Everything that happened between… between you and her. Don't leave anything out because I have to know, Wyatt. I can't… I just… I have to know."

Wyatt nodded and sat down on the floor at her feet like a child waiting to be told a story. The only thing was – he was the one with the story to tell not her. Not wanting to look down on him in pre-emptive judgement, she lowered herself to the floor as well, mimicking his cross-legged posture and resting her shoulders against the side of the bed for back support.

Wyatt studied the floor for a while before he reluctantly lifted his gaze to her face. "I don't know where to start," he admitted.

"The beginning is usually a pretty good place," was Chloe's gentle response.

Wyatt nodded. "The beginning," he echoed, "Yes." He drew in a deep breath. "It was Wednesday, Wednesday afternoon – when I got home from work. It had already been a bit of weird day. The school had organised a big presentation because it was my last day at work before the wedding. And then, my Advanced Magic class presented me with another gift; one that they'd clubbed together and bought for us themselves."

"That was nice of them," Chloe interjected, genuinely touched by his student's thoughtfulness in spite of the current situation.

Wyatt smiled briefly at her. "Yes," he agreed, "But it kind of freaked me out to be honest. It made everything seem so real, you know? I'd been relatively calm about the wedding up until then, but after that, the nerves started to kick in big time."

Chloe nodded as he paused for breath. She wasn't quite sure why he was telling her this, but allowed him to continue uninterrupted, guessing that he must believe it relevant somehow.

"Anyway, I arrived home and the apartment was well… clean. Freakishly clean – more like a show home than a lived-in one. And you were – or rather she was - umm… well, I guess the best way to describe it is chipper - scarily so. Chris reckoned that either you'd been put under some kind of good-housewife spell, or your odd behaviour was symptomatic of a bad case of pre-wedding nerves. In hindsight, I should have gone with his first suggestion, but the second one seemed more logical at the time."

Chloe frowned a little. "Chris?" she asked, trying to work out how her potential brother-in-law fitted into the equation.

"He dropped by to borrow a spell-book on his way over to Emily's," Wyatt explained. "Anyhow, as I was saying, the pre-wedding jitters theory seemed to fit and you… I mean, she confirmed it when I questioned her about her behaviour a little later. I suppose she figured she'd be able to pass off everything like that…"

"A ready-made, convenient excuse for any slip-ups, huh?" Chloe cut in acidly.

Wyatt nodded. "Yeah – only it wasn't as simple as that. At first, it was enough for me, yes. But later that night, when we were in bed…"

Chloe's stomach lurched horribly. She wasn't sure that this was something she wanted to hear and had to resist the urge to press her hands over her ears.

"… that was when I realised something wasn't quite right," Wyatt went on. "She slept with her back to me and you never do that. It was a small thing, I know, but it really bothered me. I can't really explain why, it just did."

One of the tight bands around Chloe's heart loosened somewhat. He had known. Maybe it hadn't registered on the surface but, deep down, he had known that it wasn't her. The fact that it had taken him so long to figure out the truth was the thing that had been troubling her the most. She had believed them closer than that, thought that he knew the person she was on the inside, the woman that couldn't be disguised by a mere change in the outer casing. It had hurt her deeply to think that he had spent two whole days with another woman and not sensed that something was amiss.

Wyatt had stopped speaking as all this was running through her mind and she glanced up to find herself studying his bowed head. "Wyatt?" she asked softly when he remained silent, lost in melancholy thought.

Wyatt's shoulders heaved as he sucked in a deep breath. "That's when everything went wrong," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "I should have realised the truth but instead, I let my past neuroses take over."

"I don't understand."

"I… it… Tara. It felt like Tara all over again. I tried to tell myself I was being stupid, that you weren't like that, but the next day… well, it just seemed to confirm all my fears."

"How do you mean?"

Chloe thought she was beginning to understand now. She knew how deeply Wyatt had been affected by the way his relationship with Tara had turned out, knew that it had left him with some residual trust issues. What's more, she could see how the situation could have revived those dormant emotions in him, brought them back to the forefront once again.

"I… I guess I thought with all the wedding arrangements settled and both of us on leave from work, we'd have a couple of days just the two of us, you know?"

Chloe nodded. It was what she'd been envisaging too, a bit of peace, quiet and calm reflection before the jamboree of their big day.

"But she wanted to go over all the arrangements again, make sure that nothing had been missed. I know now that it was because she didn't know all of the arrangements, but at the time…" Wyatt trailed off and shrugged. "It all seemed like an avoidance tactic to me, an excuse not to be with me. That's exactly how it was with Tara - like a switch had been flipped inside of her – one day, she was warm and loving, the next she was all business, the intimacy just gone."

"But surely you tried to talk to me about it?" Chloe said.

"Don't you mean her?" Wyatt replied.

"You thought it was me at the time," Chloe pointed out, "It doesn't say very much about our relationship if you just assumed…."

"Of course, I tried to talk to her," Wyatt cut in, "Several times in fact. But she just brushed off my concerns as if they were nothing, told me I was being silly, imagining things. That if she seemed a bit on edge, it was only because our wedding was so important to her. I guess I was so mixed up by then, all I could think of was that I was making another huge mistake."

"You were going to jilt me," Chloe realised, surprised to find that she was actually shocked by this.

Wyatt let out a humourless laugh. "I was torn in two. I needed to think so I went up to the Bridge. Of course, Chris had to go and choose that particular moment to orb in and he immediately sensed something was wrong. He was shocked when I told him what it was, obviously thought I was letting my nerves get the better of me. His attitude made me question what my heart and mind were telling me. I didn't know what to do and the wedding was getting closer and closer. I guess the pressure to make a decision clouded my judgement, stopped me from seeing things more clearly."

"So you'd have figured it out if you'd had a bit more space to think?" Chloe said.

"I don't honestly know," Wyatt told her frankly. "If I'd gone ahead and called off the wedding, then her reaction might have clued me in, I suppose. I don't imagine she'd have taken the rejection too well."

"And isn't that a fact," Chloe concurred wryly.

"If it prompted her to show her true colours, then something might have clicked inside me, just like it did when Emily mentioned about the possibility of demons attacking at the wedding."

"That's how you figured it out?"

"Yeah. Chris kept giving me these looks across the dinner table tonight, and I think Emily picked up on the tension between us. Eventually, it got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore so I excused myself. Chris followed and Emily…"

"Couldn't contain her rabid curiosity?" Chloe put in sardonically, knowing full well how her cousin would have dealt with her suspicions.

Wyatt nodded. "She sought us out, overheard some of our conversation and ended up getting the wrong end of the stick. She demanded to know what was going on, and drew her own conclusions when we didn't immediately answer her."

"That despite all the precautions, it hadn't been enough to prevent a demon attack?"

"Exactly. When she said that, it all suddenly fell into place. I couldn't believe I'd been so stupid. It was the unambiguous explanation that I'd been searching for."

"So you confronted Carolina, reversed the body-swap spell and…" Chloe trailed off as the more painful aspects of the evening's events reared their ugly head.

"Yeah," Wyatt said, his tone stricken. "I'm so, so sorry, Chloe. I wish I could offer a better explanation for the way I reacted. I honestly thought I was over all of that stuff with Tara, but I guess I still have some trust issues to resolve. It's not you though, it's me. Please believe that."

Chloe's eyes were bright with tears now. "It's explanation enough," she told him softly. "I was scared that you… well, that you hadn't noticed that anything was wrong. But it felt wrong enough for you to seriously question whether to marry me or not. It proves that your heart recognised it wasn't me, even if your eyes and brain were still telling you something different."

"So I'm not a lost cause then?" Wyatt asked, his voice was thick with emotion.

Chloe wiped away a tear that had escaped and spilled down her cheek. "There's just one more thing I need to know," she said, her voice trembling slightly at the possibility of having what she dreaded the most confirmed.

"Which is?" Wyatt prompted when she struggled to put her thoughts into coherent words.

"Umm, what about…" Chloe drew in a deep breath, "You and her, err… Physically?"

"Physically?" Wyatt looked confused for a moment until it dawned on him what she was asking. "God Chloe - no! I mean, she tried it on a bit that first night, snuggling up and kissing my neck and stuff. But I reminded her of our pact…"

"Our pact…"

With everything that had happened, Chloe forgotten all about their decision to abstain from physical intimacy for a while to make their wedding night extra special. "I think that might just be the best idea I ever had," she said tearfully as a wave of relief washed over her.

Wyatt reached out and threaded his fingers through hers. "Tell me about it," he agreed wholeheartedly, "But I might have figured it out sooner without it. You can't fake that kind of intimacy, not easily anyway. I know your kiss, your touch, and she wouldn't have been able to imitate that. That's how I knew for sure tonight."

"You… what?"

"It was the only time we kissed," Wyatt promised her. "Properly kissed, I mean. Apart from that first evening, when I guess things were a little more intimate, the rest were just perfunctory pecks – nothing I wouldn't give my Mom basically. But tonight, I had to be sure, so I kissed her and the way she responded… Well, it wasn't you, it _definitely_ wasn't you. I pushed her away so hard, she fell over. I really lost it then – I think my parents thought I'd gone completely mad."

"So what did you do? How did you find me?" Chloe asked.

Wyatt proceeded to fill her in on what had taken place in her absence that evening and she found herself listening with her heart in her mouth. "Oh Wyatt!" she breathed in horror, when he told her about Carolina's cruel taunt.

"… and I've never been so scared in my life," he said when he finally reached the part where he'd discovered her face down and bleeding in the dirt. "If it wasn't for Chris…" Wyatt broke off, his eyes full.

"I love you so much," he suddenly burst out. "You _have_ to know that. You have to."

"I do know," Chloe said, looping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "And I love you too."

Holding her close, Wyatt buried his face in her hair and breathed in of her familiar scent. "So – are we okay?" he asked.

Chloe drew back from him so that she could look him in the eye. "I think we still have some talking to do," she said. "But yeah, I reckon we're okay."

Wyatt let out a relieved breath at that, and then leaned down to kiss her, finding reassurance and comfort in the familiar feel of her soft lips against his.

"And what about the wedding?" he asked when he released her. "I'd understand if you wanted to postpone it, you know. You've been through a lot in the last couple of days."

Tucking a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, Chloe considered the suggestion. "It's always going to be like this, isn't it?" she eventually said.

"Like what?"

"This kind of thing – demons and the like – interrupting our lives," she said, explaining her question.

"'Fraid so," Wyatt told her ruefully. "It comes with the territory."

Chloe nodded. "So, I think we should start as we mean to go on," she decided firmly. "The wedding is just the beginning after all. I don't intend to let situations like this alter the way we live our lives in the future, so why let it change things for us now? No, we set a date for our wedding and we're going to stick to it."

Wyatt smiled. "I knew there was a reason I liked you," he said, cupping the nape of her neck in his right palm and drawing her towards him for another kiss.

Chloe went willingly into his embrace, her earlier doubts all but gone now. She didn't know how well she would have handled things if there'd been any real physical intimacy between Wyatt and Carolina. But fortunately, thanks to her own desire to adhere - at least partially - to the traditional no-sex-before-marriage rule, that wasn't something that she had to face.

And okay, so maybe Wyatt still had a few trust issues to resolve, but she was confident that he would get past them. In fact, she figured this very experience would be enough to banish them for good. She wanted her wedding day to be perfect, but she'd always viewed it as the beginning of a marriage and that meant hard work and compromise. It wouldn't always be a bed of roses; there would be issues such as this to deal with all the time.

"I think it's about time I went home," she decided when they drew apart, "I don't want to be a Panda Bride tomorrow and I'm sure as hell gonna be if I don't get my full eight hours of beauty sleep."

"Panda Bride?" Wyatt questioned with a chuckle.

"Yeah, you know – pale with huge dark rings under my eyes. Not a particularly attractive look, I assure you."

Wyatt smiled and glanced down at his watch. "Well, you'd better get a move on then," he told her, "Because the wedding is less than fifteen hours away."

"What?" Chloe grabbed his wrist and looked at the time. Ten minutes to midnight. "Oh no! I have to get out of here," she exclaimed, hurriedly scrambling to her feet. "It's bad luck for us to see each other before the ceremony on the big day."

"I think we've used up our allotted quota of bad luck already, don't you?" Wyatt said, also rising to his feet, but with a little more decorum than his suddenly panic-stricken fiancée.

"Maybe, but that's no reason to tempt fate," Chloe told him. "Come on." She grabbed his hand and made for the bedroom door, dragging him along behind her like an errant puppy.

Downstairs, Chris was just dozing off, lulled into peaceful slumber by the light, floral scent of Emily's perfume and the warm weight of her body resting against his. Before the sandman could claim him however, he was rudely awakened by the sound of a door slamming back on its hinges and clattering footsteps descending the stairs. Emily also jerked upright at the noise, and they exchanged an anxious look before getting to their feet and hurrying into the hall.

"Mom? Dad? Come on!" Chloe called out as she reached the bottom of the staircase. "Time to go."

"Honey? Is everything all right?" Leann Simpson said, as she came into the hall from the lounge.

"Everything's fine, Mom," Chloe told her abruptly, "But we have to go."

"Now would be good," she added, impatiently flapping her hands at the front door when her parents simply stared back at her in bewilderment. "My wedding day starts in precisely…" She glanced at the hall clock, "Five minutes. We should have been long gone by now… Come on!"

She span around, turning back to Wyatt, who was watching her with amusement dancing in his blue eyes. "I will see you…" She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him soundly. "…in fourteen hours. And no standing me up."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Wyatt said, as she twirled away from him like a miniature whirlwind, intent on herding her family out of the door as quickly as possible. Her parents, Aunt and Uncle were now obediently waiting by the door. Unfortunately, Emily was otherwise occupied.

"Hey!" she exclaimed in protest when Chloe's fingers closed around her wrist like a vice. Her lips had barely brushed against Chris's before she'd been unceremoniously jerked her out of his arms.

"Put him down, there'll be time enough for that tomorrow," Chloe said, hauling her towards the front door.

Emily threw a helpless look back over her shoulder at Chris, who grinned broadly at her and blew her a kiss just before the door finally closed behind her and the rest of her departing family.

"You're marrying a crazy woman, you know that?" Chris remarked wryly to his brother, breaking the rather stunned silence that followed their girlfriends' abrupt exit.

Wyatt grinned. "Sticking to the traditions is important to her that's all," he explained. "She realised the time and couldn't think of anything else."

"Everything is okay though, isn't it?" Piper asked her son.

Wyatt nodded gravely. "I think Chloe just needed to know that nothing had happened, you know?" he said. "And that I'd sensed that something was wrong even if I didn't realise what it was."

"And did you?" Piper asked. "Sense something was wrong, I mean?"

Wyatt exchanged a meaningful look with Chris before answering her question. "Err, yeah – you could say that."

"He was on the verge of calling the whole thing off," his brother put in helpfully.

"Chris!" Wyatt protested.

"Well, you were!"

"Yeah, I know but…" He sighed. "I feel so stupid. I should have known."

"Don't beat yourself up about it," Paige advised him. "You'd think it'd be easy to spot something like that, but it isn't that simple when it comes down to it. Your eyes override what your heart is telling you at first, and it takes some time to see past that. Your Mom, Aunt Phoebe and I have been caught out that way on any number of occasions, believe me."

Phoebe nodded in agreement. "And you have to remember that this happened in the run up to your wedding, when things were bound to be heightened emotionally between you and Chloe. It doesn't matter how sure you are about each other, everyone experiences nerves about their decision to commit. You wouldn't be human if you didn't. If it'd just been an ordinary day, then you probably would have reacted more rationally. But, as it was…"

She broke off, leaving Wyatt to fill in the blanks for himself. Her nephew's thoughts had wandered off in another direction however.

"I never asked her what happened," he said fretfully. "I mean, she said they didn't hurt her apart from the stabbing but what if…?" He frowned worriedly. "She got side-tracked when she realised what time it was, and I never had the chance to talk to her about it."

"Don't worry about it," Leo said, placing a soothing hand against his son's back. "Her family will take good care of her and…"

"That's not the point, Dad!"

"I know… if you just let me finish… What I was going to say was… there's nothing to stop you calling her if you're really worried."

Wyatt nodded. "I guess," he agreed, albeit somewhat dubiously. Was a phone conversation really enough?

"I think she'd have been a little less together if it had been that bad, Wyatt," Chris assured his brother. "I can check on that with Emily if you're concerned though."

Wyatt shook his head. "No, no – you're right. Tradition is important to Chloe, but she wouldn't have let it get in the way of what's important. Speaking of… we still need to find Carolina."

"Actually, _you_ don't," Piper said. "She's caused you enough trouble already. You leave that particular task to us."

"But Mom…"

"But nothing. You and Chloe just relax and enjoy your wedding tomorrow. Your Aunts and I will deal with Little Miss Cuckoo-in-the-Nest once you've left for your honeymoon."

"I know we might be creaking at the joints a bit now," Paige said, noticing that her nephew wasn't completely convinced by this, "But we're not ready for the scrap heap just yet, you know."

"Yeah, and I'll always be on hand to help them with their Zimmer frames if necessary," Chris put in cheekily, and then danced back out of the way of the indignant slaps that both Paige and Phoebe aimed in his direction.

This broke the tension and Wyatt gave in with a chuckle. "All right, but if you need my help…"

"We'll call," his Aunts chorused with identical rolls of their eyes.

"You do know demons quake in their boots at the mere mention of the legendary Charmed Ones, don't you?" Phoebe told him pointedly.

"Yeah," Wyatt said with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders, "But they pee their pants at the mention of the Twice-Blessed Child."

He grinned widely at his outraged Aunts, while his brother and father dissolved into laughter.

"It's not funny!" Piper admonished her husband and sons. "Can we have a little more respect and less of the inflated egos please?"

"I was only joking, Mom," Wyatt said, reaching down to give her an affectionate hug. "I know that the Twice-Blessed Child thing is just a label and that I'm nothing special."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Piper said, reaching up to cup his face in her hands. She stood on her tiptoes and warmly kissed him goodnight.

"Now, I think it's about time you and your brother were in bed," she said, as she stepped away from him and turned to her younger son. "You've got a big day ahead. I've put clean sheets on both your beds."

"Are you going to read us a bedtime story and tuck us in too?" Chris asked teasingly as he leaned forward to hug her goodnight.

"Watch the insolence, mister, or I might just forget that you're too old to be grounded," Piper retorted as she affectionately returned his embrace.

Chris grinned at her and then turned to bid his father and Aunts farewell, following in his brother's lead.

"So _did_ anything happen between you and Carolina?" he asked Wyatt, as they trudged up the stairs to their respective bedrooms a few moments later.

Wyatt turned to look steadily at him and Chris held up his hands in a capitulating gesture. "Just curious," he defended, "And I thought that maybe you might need to talk about it," he added.

"Not really, cus nothing happened," Wyatt told him shortly.

"What - nothing? Nothing at all?" Chris's tone was slightly incredulous. "In two whole days?"

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"Well, I know you were having doubts, but you still thought she was Chloe for the majority of the time, didn't you?"

"Yes, but as I told you earlier – traditions are important to Chloe."

"Huh?" Chris looked puzzled for a moment, and then his eyes widened as his brother's meaning dawned. "Whoa! You mean…? Oh boy! For how long?"

"Long enough," Wyatt replied ruefully and Chris laughed.

"You have more willpower than me, bro," he remarked, "Which is a good thing, I suppose, given the circumstances…"

"Yeah," Wyatt said solemnly. "I know." He shuddered. "Believe me, I know."

"I reckon you've had one hell of a lucky escape," Chris continued. "And I don't just mean because of that. If Carolina had managed to trick you into marrying her, I don't know how easily we would have gotten you out of it - if at all."

Wyatt turned to face him as they drew to a halt outside his bedroom door. "Yeah well, what's done is done, there's no use going over it ad infinitum. We all lived to see another day so…"

"Maybe we could dispense with all the clichés?" Chris suggested dryly.

Wyatt grinned, and then his smile faded as his expression turned more serious. "Look, umm… I wanted to say… well, thanks okay?"

"For what?"

"Everything, I guess. For being there to talk to, for keeping your head tonight when I was losing mine. And… and for Chloe… with the healing and… well, I owe you, about a thousand times over, I reckon."

"Nah! Anytime, bro," Chris replied with an air of studied nonchalance that didn't quite come off. "We're gonna have to hug now, aren't we?" he said after a beat, a hint of playful distaste creeping into his tone.

Wyatt laughed. "Don't worry, I'll spare you the indignity," he said, and then belied his words by drawing him into a brief, one-arm hug.

Chris returned the gesture with equanimity and then crossed the landing to his own bedroom. "Well, night-night," he said as he twisted the handle and pushed open the door. "Don't let the bed bugs bite."

"Night," Wyatt returned, entering his room and closing the door behind him.

He smiled, happy childhood memories sparked by his brother's use of their mother's bedtime phrase. He could almost hear her now… _'Night, night. Don't let the bed bugs bite'_ – a ritual saying that was always followed by the whisper of her soft lips against his cheek as she tucked him in and kissed him goodnight.

Sometimes growing up was a real bitch, he thought to himself as he shed his clothes and climbed into bed. But then again – he called to mind the softness of Chloe's skin, the silkiness of her hair, the tender passion of her kisses – it did have its compensations. And tomorrow, tomorrow he would reap them all…

**OOOOOO **

**_Wyatt and Chloe's apartment… _**

"Hot chocolate?"

Chloe looked up to see her cousin standing in the bedroom doorway, dressed in her pjs and holding two steaming mugs in her hands. "I wouldn't say no," she answered

"We haven't done this in ages," she added as Emily handed her the hot, creamy drink and seated herself on the bed-spread beside her.

"What? Had a slumber party, you mean?"

"Yeah," Chloe said, sipping at her drink.

"Well, make the most of it, because I reckon this is the last time."

Chloe smiled. "Except maybe the night before Chris and your wedding," she teased.

Emily blushed and shifted uncomfortably. "I really don't think we should go there…"

"Why not?"

"It's all still pretty new, Chloe. Things are great, more than great, but I don't want to run before I can walk if you know what I mean."

Chloe nodded. "Probably wise," she said. "You never know when you're going to have the rug pulled out from under you."

Picking up on the hidden undercurrent in her cousin's tone, Emily leaned forward and placed her hand on her forearm. "Things are okay between you and Wyatt, aren't they?" she asked, "Because you know you can tell me if you're not sure."

"No, I'm sure. I just…"

Chloe's voice suddenly cracked and she put her hand to her forehead as the tears came out of nowhere. Silently setting their drinks to one side, Emily drew her cousin into her arms and let her cry. She'd been half-expecting this, knowing that Chloe had probably been sublimating her own feelings in response to Wyatt's guilt-ridden distress. It was the therapist in her; she put so much of herself into helping other people manage their emotions that she sometimes failed to deal with her own.

"You okay?" she asked when Chloe had finally cried herself out.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry," Chloe sniffed and wiped her eyes with her fingertips, trying to regain her composure. "I don't know where that came from."

"Delayed shock, maybe?" Emily suggested gently.

"Yeah, I guess." Chloe drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm okay now."

"Chloe, this is me, remember? You're not okay."

"No, no, I am… the last couple of days have been horrible, I'm not going to deny that. But, I don't have any doubts - I love Wyatt and he loves me – I want to marry him."

"Honey, I believe you, but that doesn't mean that everything's peachy, does it? You can't go through what you've been through and not be affected by it."

"I won't let that… that bitch ruin my wedding day though, Emily! If I do that, then she's won. Wyatt said nothing happened between the two of them and I believe him. He wouldn't lie to me about something like that, I know he wouldn't."

"Of course he wouldn't," Emily reiterated.

"Exactly, so I refuse to let their petty little mind-games get to me."

"Mind games?" Emily enquired.

Chloe bit her lower lip. "I… there was this female guard. She wasn't there all the time, I get the impression she was sort of the second in command…"

"Heather?" Emily demanded suspiciously.

Chloe shook her head. "No, no I don't think so."

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be. I mean she could have changed her face, I suppose but..."

"I know she was in on this somehow," Emily interrupted fiercely. "I just know it. Chris can't ignore what she is this time."

"You don't have any proof, Emily," Chloe sensibly pointed out, "And you're more than a little biased. She may not have had any idea what her sister was up to…"

"Please! You don't believe that any more than I do."

"Maybe not, but without cold, hard proof, Wyatt and Chris are not going to condemn her. It's not what they're about. I'd let it go if I were you. She'll trip herself up eventually."

"But what if…?"

"Wyatt and Chris are not stupid," Chloe butted in. "They won't sentence her without a fair trial, but they're not going to blindly trust her anymore either. They'll be on their guard around her now."

"I suppose that's something at least," Emily said begrudgingly, then shook her head in apology. "Sorry – that was selfish of me. You were telling me about this guard…"

"She thought it was the height of entertainment to torture me with what Carolina could be doing with Wyatt while I wasn't there," Chloe said, her eyes darkening with painful remembrance. "I… I tried not to listen to her, but it got to be too much after a while. I knew she was only trying to goad me, but equally what she was saying could so easily have been true. I had no way of knowing whether Wyatt had detected anything wrong or not. The longer I was imprisoned there, the more I thought that maybe she was right – that I'd been replaced and no-one had noticed."

"Wyatt noticed, Chloe," Emily said gently. "Maybe it took him a while to get things straight in his head, but Chris reckons he always knew on some level."

"Yeah, I know," Chloe answered. "That's why I'm okay with this. If he hadn't sensed anything was wrong, I don't know where we'd be now – I'm not sure I could have lived with that."

"And Wyatt swore that nothing went on between them?" Emily asked.

Chloe nodded. "I should've known really, but what with everything, I forgot all about it."

"And could you have just been more cryptic?" Emily said in puzzled exasperation.

Chloe laughed. "Sorry, umm…" She stopped and blushed. "It's kind of crazy," she admitted, "But I… I wanted to, well… wait, I guess."

"Wait for what?" Emily asked. Chloe looked back at her and she realised. "Oh, okay," she said with a naughty little giggle. "And Wyatt actually agreed to this?"

Chloe blushed a deeper red. "Well yeah, he didn't really have that much of a choice."

Emily giggled again. "So how long have you been denying the poor guy his conjugal rights?" she queried laughingly.

"Emily!" Chloe admonished.

"Sorry," Emily said, her mood sobering. "God! To think if you hadn't…"

"I know." Chloe looked down and swallowed the sudden lump that had arisen in her throat. "A fortunate twist of fate if ever there was one," she said rather shakily.

Emily reached out and squeezed her hands. "Don't think about it, okay?" she gently advised. "It didn't happen. Be grateful for that."

"I don't think I've ever been more grateful for anything in my entire life," Chloe told her. "I couldn't have coped… Losing him, it's my worst nightmare, Emily."

"Well, in a few hours, he'll be yours forever so I don't think you need worry about that."

Chloe nodded. "Yeah," she agreed with a soft smile, and then almost jumped out of her skin when the phone rang unexpectedly.

"The man himself, I presume," Emily said, draining the last of her hot chocolate and climbing off the bed. "I'll see you in the morning," she said, bending to give her cousin a quick hug. "Sleep well."

"You too," Chloe said as she picked up the handset from the bedside cabinet. "And thanks, Emily – I guess I needed to get that out of my system."

"Anytime," her cousin replied. "Just make sure you talk to Wyatt about it though. He needs to understand what you went through."

Chloe nodded. "I know," she said. "I will." She pressed the answer button on the handset. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," Wyatt's voice sounded like honey in her ear and she felt herself fill up with an indescribable warmth.

"Hey you," she responded, snuggling down under the bedclothes, the phone pressed firmly to her ear. "Whatcha doing?"

"Lying in bed, thinking of you," was the immediate response

"Nice answer!" she congratulated him.

"I thought so," Wyatt replied modestly. There was a brief pause and then… "We never got to finish our conversation earlier."

"I know, I'm sorry for rushing off like that."

"You sure you're okay?"

"Well, I just cried all over Emily, but I'm fine now."

Wyatt cleared his throat. "Cried about what?" he asked, his voice slightly gruff.

Chloe told him, feeling instantly better for doing so.

Wyatt however, didn't seem so comforted. "I'm coming over," he insisted.

"No, no look – I want our wedding, and all that goes with it, to be how it's supposed to be."

"It already isn't, Chloe."

"All the more reason to make sure it is from now on," she countered. "Look, I'm okay, all right? You don't need to worry. I'd tell you if I weren't. And more to the point, Emily would tell you if I weren't."

"She wouldn't betray your confidence."

"She would if she thought it necessary."

Wyatt was silent and she knew that she was getting through to him. "Let me talk to her," he eventually said.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "You're hopelessly overprotective, you know that?" she told him.

"So sue me."

Chloe sighed. "Emily? Can you come here for a sec?" she called out. Her cousin obediently appeared in the doorway a few seconds later..

"Tell him I'm not about to have a mental breakdown," Chloe said, offering her the handset.

"She's not about to have a mental breakdown," Emily dutifully repeated into the mouthpiece.

Wyatt sighed. "She was still upset."

"Yeah, she's had a rough couple of days, but you know what she needs the most right now?"

"What?"

"To marry you. So you just make sure you give her the wedding day that you both deserve. Show them that they can't knock you down, no matter how hard they try."

"You weren't perhaps a life coach in a past life, were you?" Wyatt asked then and she smiled.

"Just be there to put that ring on her finger, all right?"

"Yes ma'am."

Emily shook her head in exasperation. "Men!" she said as she handed the phone back to her cousin and quietly left the room.

"So convinced yet?" Chloe asked.

"Getting there. Your cousin has a way with words sometimes."

Chloe laughed. "Oh, you noticed, did you?"

"You could say that."

"So, are you going to be there to put that ring on my finger or not?"

"Just try and stop me."

"No chance of that, I assure you."

"I'll see you in a few hours time then."

"I'll be there. And Wyatt?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you, you know."

"Yeah, I love you too, baby."

Chloe smiled. "Well, good night then," she said.

"Night," Wyatt returned softly.

"You're still there," she accused when he failed to hang up.

"I know," Wyatt replied, his voice was warm with quiet laughter.

"Okay, so on the count of three. One, two, three…"

_Click… _

**_To be continued… _****:-)**


	43. The Wedding

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes**: Hi! Finally, a new chapter for you. It's decidedly on the sappy side btw, but it's a wedding so it's allowed! LOL! Anyway, with no further ado, let's get on with the show. It's the morning of the long-awaited nuptials in case you hadn't guessed…

**OOOOOO**

**Chapter 43 – The Wedding**

**_The guest bedroom at Chloe and Wyatt's apartment..._**

Emily woke the next morning to the sensation of warm lips pressed against hers. "Mmm," she murmured groggily, as she slowly emerged from the fog of sleep and opened her eyes. "Hey you!"

"Morning Sleeping Beauty!" Chris greeted her brightly; smiling down into her face as he tenderly brushed a few wayward strands of her sleep-mussed hair out of her eyes.

Emily smiled drowsily back at him, and then suddenly realised where she was. "Wait! What are you…?" she exclaimed, struggling to a sitting position, an action that was severely hampered by the sheets wrapped tightly around her body. "Chris, you can't be here!"

Her boyfriend laughed at her unreasoning panic. "Why not? I don't think there's any rule against the chief bridesmaid and the best man seeing each other before the wedding on the big day - only the bride and groom."

"I suppose so," Emily agreed, giving up the fight and relaxing back against the pillows again. "Why are you here anyway?" she asked curiously. "There's nothing wrong is there? Wyatt hasn't changed his mind?"

"I don't think there's much chance of that," Chris reassured her. "He was still asleep when I left. I just wanted to say good morning that's all."

Emily shot him a sceptical look. "You must have a more pressing reason to come here than that," she said.

Chris grinned at her, his green eyes alight with mischief. "Maybe," he conceded coyly.

"So, are you going to enlighten me or what?" Emily asked.

"Well, if you absolutely insist…."

And with that pronouncement, Chris dipped his head and proceeded to kiss her breathless, his fingers tangling in her hair as his mouth explored hers with its usual thoroughness. Returning his embrace with enthusiasm, Emily slid her arms around his back and pulled him down on top of her. They made out like this for several minutes until Chris eventually found the strength to extradite himself from her arms.

"I knew it'd be worth it," he declared as he sat back, earning himself a playful punch in the mid-riff from his passion-flushed girlfriend.

"You are so bad," she accused, pouting prettily at him.

"You still love me," he replied confidently as he combed his fingers through his mussed-up hair and rose to his feet. "I'll see you later," he added with a wink and a cheeky half-smile.

As he disappeared in a plume of sparkling blue lights, Emily shook her head in indulgent exasperation. It certainly beat an alarm clock as a wake-up call, that was for sure. She turned over onto her side and startled when she noticed the time. She'd slept in, a happenstance that was not all that unexpected given the previous night's events. Her Mom and Aunt were due to arrive in ten minutes though, so she threw back the covers and quickly scrambled out of bed.

Pulling on her robe, she padded barefoot down the corridor to the lounge, stopping in to check on Chloe along the way. Her cousin was fast asleep, curled up into a foetal position with a serene expression of peace on her pretty face. Emily decided not to wake her. They didn't need to start getting ready for a while yet, and she, her Mom and Aunt Leann were more than capable of handling things in the meantime.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang and she hurried to answer it, admitting her female relatives with a hissed instruction to keep their voices down. "Chloe's still asleep," she informed them in hushed tones. "I figured she could use a lie-in."

"Is she all right?" Leann questioned her niece worriedly.

"Yeah, yeah, she's fine," Emily reassured her, deliberately not mentioning Chloe's earlier emotional breakdown.

She was pretty sure that those tears had been the cathartic release that her cousin had needed, so she didn't see the point in worrying her Aunt unnecessarily. Chloe couldn't abide anyone fussing over her and Leann's mothering instincts would go into overdrive if she suspected her daughter was unhappy in any way. No, it was best to keep quiet and be done with it. Chloe wouldn't thank her for opening up a can of worms when it wasn't needed.

"Coffee?" she offered brightly instead. "I think we should wait for the blushing bride to surface before we crack open the champagne, don't you?"

Both her Mom and Aunt nodded their assent, so she led the way into the kitchen and proceeded to brew a pot of coffee for them all to share. "Where are Dad and Uncle Mike?" she asked, as she flicked the switch on the percolator and waited for the telltale glug-glug sound to begin.

"We left them back at the hotel," her mother explained. "They have instructions to turn up an hour before the cars are due to arrive."

"We decided we should keep them out from underfoot for as long as possible," Leann added wryly.

"I imagine the variety of Sport channels on offer at the hotel hold more allure for them than a French manicure anyway," Emily remarked with a grin.

"Tell me about it," her mother concurred with a roll of her eyes. "I swear your father's been glued to the TV set in our room every spare moment since we checked in!"

Emily laughed and then her expression sobered. "Dad is all right, isn't he?" she asked. "I mean, after last night…"

Bella nodded. "Yes, he's fine. It shook him up a bit, but he handled it all pretty well considering. I already knew the counselling was helping, but it was good to have additional proof of that."

"You'll be pleased to know that Chris went up in his estimation too," she went on to add.

"He did?" Emily asked with some degree of incredulity, "What? Even after he let me tag along with him and Wyatt when they went to find Chloe?"

At the time, her cousin's welfare had been the only thing on her mind. It was only afterwards that she realised that her stubbornness in that regard may have reflected badly on Chris in her father's eyes.

"He only agreed after Wyatt overrode his initial objection," Bella reminded her daughter, "And then he went on to insist that you stay close by his side. In other words, he was mindful of your safety even though Chloe and his brother were the main focus of his thoughts at the time. That's all your Dad really wants, Emily - for someone to show you the same consideration that he would."

Emily nodded. "Yeah, I know."

"It was more than that though," Bella continued, "Maybe you were too much in the thick of things to really notice, but Chris was the one who kept a clear head last night. He stopped Wyatt from spiralling out of control, and basically showed himself to be someone who can be relied upon in a crisis. I know your Dad can be an overprotective parent at times, but he'll always give recognition where it's due - and Chris definitely earned himself some extra credit last night."

Emily beamed happily at her Mom on hearing this. Even though she tried hard not to show it, her Dad's continued indifference to her relationship with Chris did upset her. She knew she shouldn't expect too much, too soon, that her father was still coming to terms with what had happened to his sister all those years ago, but she had been hoping for some change in his attitude by now. Instead, he remained coolly polite towards her boyfriend, which in some ways was worse than his original out-and-out disapproval of him. With any luck, her Dad might make the effort to get to know Chris a little better now however. It was something to hope for at least anyway.

After pouring herself a cup of coffee, she pushed the pot across the counter towards her Mom and Aunt, and then turned to rummage through Chloe's kitchen cupboards for something to eat. She eventually found a bag of relatively fresh blueberry and cinnamon bagels in the bread basket, one of which she split in half and popped into the toaster oven. When it was done, she spread it thickly with cream cheese and bit into its doughy softness as she, her Mom and Aunt waited for Chloe to emerge from her bedroom. Then, and only then, would the final build-up to the wedding of the year begin…

**OOOOOO**

**_The Halliwell Manor, several hours later…_**

Wyatt stood at the window of his bedroom, gazing reflectively down on the street below. The wedding guests were beginning to arrive. He could see them wending their way up the driveway, dressed in their finest and carrying brightly wrapped packages in their hands. They were greeted at the door by one or other of his extended family, and then ushered through the house into the back garden where the wedding ceremony was due to take place in an hour or so's time.

He knew he should probably go downstairs and play host, but he was reluctant to give up his quiet solitude just yet. Apart from the slight flutter of butterflies in his stomach, he felt reasonably calm about what was to come however. The indecision and angst of the last few days had been well and truly banished by the re-established emotional connection between himself and his beloved fiancée, and the strong sense of rightness that he'd always felt with Chloe was flowing strongly through his veins once again.

He couldn't have walked away from this commitment even if he had wanted to therefore - which he didn't of course. While he wasn't going to deny that bachelorhood had been fun in his early twenties, he was ready to settle down and build a family of his own now, something that he was looking forward to with an odd mixture of expectation and apprehension.

There was a light tap on the door then, and he turned to see his three Aunts framed in the doorway. His Aunt Prue, along with his Grams and Great-Grams, had crossed over especially for the occasion, and he felt strangely honoured by their other-worldly presence.

He was still getting to know the eldest Charmed sister properly. She'd crossed over for the first time when he was about sixteen, and, for obvious reasons, hadn't been around much since then. He'd noticed her visits had been getting more frequent in recent years however, probably because his Mom and Aunt Phoebe had finally managed to come to terms with their loss, and were no longer stricken by renewed grief every time she left.

Once her sisters had reconciled themselves to her presence, Prue had turned her attention to getting to know her nephews and nieces better. The two brothers had summoned her for help on a number of occasions in the last couple of years in actual fact, finding her advice invaluable and less clouded by the need to protect them from harm. She loved them, sure, but from a distance and hence could see things a little more clearly than her sisters could. Piper, Paige and Phoebe had never quite let go of the little boys that he and Chris used to be – as was illustrated by the latter's next comment.

"Well look at you, all debonair and handsome," she said in a voice that held a slight twinge of regret, "What happened to my sweet little nephew, hey?"

"I guess he grew up," Wyatt replied, taking the hands that she offered to him. "Apparently that happens as the years go by."

"Yeah well, it shouldn't," Phoebe said with an exaggerated pout. "Ah well, I guess you and Chloe are just going to have to make me some cute great-nieces and nephews to fuss over instead."

Wyatt laughed. "Give us a chance to get married first," he lamented.

"All right," she agreed, and then winked at him. "Just don't wait too long, okay?"

Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed him warmly on the cheek, then let go of his hands and stepped back, allowing her elder sister to take her place.

"Good Luck and be happy, okay?" Prue said as she leaned forward to hug him.

"I will," Wyatt replied, affectionately returning her embrace before he turned to face Aunt Number Three.

"Chloe's a lucky girl," Paige said, as she palmed the side of his face in her hand and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "We love you, you know," she murmured in his ear.

"Yeah, I know – and I love you too," he quietly responded.

"MOMMY!"

Wyatt glanced up to see his youngest cousin standing in the doorway, her hands on her hips and an irritated expression on her small face. She was dressed in a pretty sapphire-blue dress with a white satin sash around the middle. Matching blue ballet pumps adorned her tiny feet and a circlet of white and cream flowers was woven into her unruly mop of dark hair.

"Hey flower-girl," he greeted her with an affectionate smile.

"Hey Wyatt!" Amy beamed toothily at him, and then turned to Paige. "It's time to go," she told her Mom peremptorily.

"I swear some of your Mom's genes got mixed up in her somewhere," Paige murmured softly to Wyatt, causing him to bite back a snort of laughter.

"Well, I suppose I should orb Little Miss Trouble here to join the Bridal party," the youngest Charmed One went on airily. "Why they'd want her though, I don't know."

Wyatt laughed for real this time. "She adds the cuteness factor," he explained. "Two bridesmaids and a flower-girl is the perfect combination. Well, according to Chloe anyway, I can't say I know much about these things to be honest."

"No, all you bridegrooms have to do is turn up," Paige said. "So you just make sure you do that," she told him with a wink.

"I'm not planning on going anywhere," Wyatt replied with a twinkling smile.

"Aww, that's so sweet!" Phoebe gushed and Prue rolled her eyes.

"Okay, I think we'd better get out of here before Pheebs suffers a major saccharine overdose," she said, catching her sister by the arm and quickly herding her out of the room.

After they were gone, Paige hoisted her daughter up into her arms and orbed out, leaving Wyatt to turn back to the window and resume his contemplative watch over the street outside.

"It's started I see," a dry voice said from behind him.

"The fond farewells before they send me off to the scaffold, you mean?" Wyatt remarked wryly.

Chris laughed as he crossed over the threshold and came into the room. "Yeah – although I wouldn't let Chloe hear you describe it like that if I were you," he advised.

"I wasn't intending to," Wyatt replied, turning away from the window to face his brother.

"This doesn't change anything you know," he felt the need to say after a beat of silence.

"Yeah, it does," Chris immediately contradicted. "Once that ring is on your finger, you don't solely belong to this family anymore. Chloe'll be your number one priority and, like it or not, that changes things. It's how it should be of course, but it's gonna take some getting used to all the same."

Wyatt's mouth quirked up at the corners, "You're not feeling too deposed, I hope," he said.

Chris shook his head. "Me? Nah! Can't wait to get rid of you!"

"And you're so funny – not!" Wyatt replied.

He mock punched his brother on the arm in retaliation and they shared a laugh before the conversation turned to more serious matters. "Have you got the rings?" Wyatt asked.

"All present and correct," Chris said, patting his jacket pocket as confirmation of that. "Just relax, okay?"

"Yeah, well, that's easier said than done right now," Wyatt replied, as the nervous butterflies in his stomach suddenly took flight and performed a series of dizzying loop-the-loops, making him feel decidedly nauseous.

Chris grinned at his brother's uncharacteristic lack of composure. "Just keep saying 'I do' and you'll be sweet," he advised. "Oh, and your name is Wyatt Matthew Halliwell if they ask."

"Okay, got that," Wyatt replied with a nod. "Umm… and who am I supposed to be marrying again?" he asked jokingly.

Chris laughed. "I think someone said her name was Chloe."

"Chloe? Right, yeah, I know the one. Blonde, gorgeous and…"

"…Probably something you shouldn't mention in front of your father."

While Chris burst out laughing at Leo's rather risqué jest, Wyatt's shocked gaze swivelled towards the doorway to where their father was standing.

"Sorry," Leo apologised contritely as he entered the room.

"I should think so too!" his elder son returned. "I might have been about to say something perfectly innocent…"

Leo raised his eyebrows sceptically and Wyatt grinned. "Or not. But that's beside the point – you're an Elder – you're supposed to set a good example."

"Seriously failed there then, didn't he?" Chris interjected slyly. "I mean, hooking up with Mom, daring to marry her and then getting her pregnant too. Not very Elder-y behaviour, is it?"

"Yeah Dad, you were a real rebel in your day, weren't you?" Wyatt joshed.

Leo laughed. "In a manner of speaking, I suppose," he said, and then turned to address his younger son. "Your Mom wants you downstairs," he informed him.

Chris nodded, choosing not to question this rather conveniently timed summons. "All right," he agreed, then reached out and jovially slapped his sibling on the back. "Well, good luck, bro. Try not to flub your lines, okay?"

"Oh and don't take too long to show your face downstairs either," he cast back over his shoulder on his way out the door. "The audience are getting rather fed up with the warm-up act. The fact that I'm way cooler and far more interesting doesn't seem to matter to them for some reason. They're starting to heckle for the main event now."

It was a testament to Wyatt's increasing nervousness that he didn't take the bait following his brother's light-hearted jibe. "I feel like an attraction at a freak show," he remarked to his father instead, wrinkling his forehead in consternation as Chris left the room.

"They're your friends, Wyatt. They just want to share in your happiness," Leo said. "What you have to remember though is that this is yours and Chloe's day, nobody else's. The two of you and the commitment that you make to each other is the most important thing in the end."

"And here's me thinking it was just an excuse for a party," Wyatt joked.

Leo smiled. "Now I _know_ you don't mean that," he said.

Wyatt smiled back. "No," he admitted quietly. "No, I'm ready for this. I don't know how or why, I just know that I am."

"You met the right girl, that's all it takes," Leo answered. "Now, I know you don't really need my advice…"

"But you're going to give it anyway," Wyatt quipped.

Leo shrugged. "It's what fathers do," he replied. "And, while I don't want to sound too conceited, I think I can claim some authority on how to maintain a successful marriage."

Wyatt nodded, knowing that to be true. He was old enough to understand that his parents were the barometer as far as happy, long-term relationships went. They'd fought hard for the contentment they'd achieved though, and negotiated many bumps in the road along the way. They'd always come out of the end of them together though, and Wyatt reckoned that, in some ways, their love was all the stronger for it.

"I think the most important thing is to keep talking," Leo said. "Whenever your Mom and I have temporarily lost our way, it's usually been because we've stopped communicating properly. And never take your marriage for granted either. However much you love each other, a relationship doesn't just happen. It has to be nurtured for it to grow. A plant will die if it's not fed and watered and a marriage is pretty much the same."

Leo stopped and smiled rather self-deprecatingly. "Of course, I'm sure you already know all of this…"

Wyatt laughed. "Yeah, I do," he agreed, "But only because I've been set a good example my entire life."

"And to think, a few minutes ago, I was a corrupting influence!"

"Well, as your son, you and Mom can be excruciatingly embarrassing at times. But, if I were an impartial observer, I'd think probably think the fact that you still have the hots for each other after almost thirty years together was a pretty amazing thing. I hope me and Chloe are half as lucky."

Leo smiled. "You will be, I'm sure of it," he replied confidently.

Wyatt nodded. "I hope so. Oh and Dad?"

"Mmm?"

"I love you."

"Yeah, I love you too, son. I love you too."

_**Downstairs, a short while earlier…**_

Chris took the stairs two at a time and was met by his mother at the bottom of the staircase. "Is your brother ready?" she asked.

"Yeah, I think so," he replied.

Piper nodded in satisfaction. "Okay then, hold still," she told him, then reached up and fixed a white flower to the lapel of his charcoal grey jacket.

"There," she said, straightening the waistcoat that he wore underneath before stepping back and surveying the result with a critical eye. "And brush your hair, will you please? You look like a haystack."

Chris grinned, knowing that, while he might look slightly dishevelled, it wasn't as bad as she was making out. "Yes Mom," he replied obediently, seeing no real gain in arguing the point with her.

This was a conversation they'd been having off and on since he was a teenager, and they were no closer to a resolution. Sometimes he thought that maybe he should just wear his hair shorter like his brother and have done with it. However, the stubbornness, which he'd inherited from the very person that he was locked in this endless debate with, baulked at letting her win so easily. So, here they were, still stuck in the same old dispute ten years on.

Piper shook her head with a smile, knowing exactly the thoughts running through his mind at that particular moment. It had become a kind of a habit for them, one which her husband found highly amusing. He thought it was hilarious that she was so irritated by the very attributes that she herself had passed onto their son. She was self-aware enough to see the irony in it however. So, fortunately for Leo, he got away with teasing her about it, whereas under normal circumstances he might not.

"What am I going to do with you?" she demanded of her son in affectionate exasperation.

"I suppose letting me make my own decisions is too much to hope for?" Chris asked, peering down his nose at her.

"I'm your mother, it's my job to interfere," she shot back and then joined in with his resultant laughter.

"Go and find your Aunts and recheck the magical defences," she instructed when their mirth died down. "I don't want anything to go wrong today. I know from personal experience that magically-interrupted weddings are no fun, and Wyatt and Chloe have been through enough already."

"Okay, will do," Chris agreed obligingly, wanting much the same thing for Wyatt as his Mom did, so not objecting to the rather overzealous precautionary measures in the slightest.

No matter how much they ribbed each other on the surface, a deep underlying affection existed between him and his elder brother. They were bound by the same ties that had held their Mom and Aunts together for so many years – ties of family, love, friendship and magical heritage that could be stretched to the limit sometimes, but never, ever broken.

After her youngest son had disappeared off in search of his Aunts, Piper started up the stairs, seeking out her first-born. She found him in his old bedroom with Leo, and she looked on in gentle affection as father and son shared a brief but heartfelt hug.

"Hey Mom!" Wyatt said, spotting her over his father's shoulder.

"Hey sweetie," she said, tears welling up in her eyes in spite of an earlier resolution not to cry.

He looked so grown-up and handsome though - her little boy - a man now - and about to embark on probably the most rewarding journey of his life. Her marriage had certainly been that for her, not simply because of Leo and the loving companionship that he provided, but because of the children that they'd brought into this world together.

Wyatt and Chris – her beloved boys - different as night and day in some ways, but with enough in common to overcome their inevitable sibling rivalry in favour of a loyal friendship with each other. She couldn't have been prouder of the men that they'd become and this day capped all of that in some respects.

"Here," she said thickly, repeating the ritual that she'd just gone through downstairs and pinning the obligatory flower to his jacket.

The act held more emotional resonance this time around however. She wasn't yet handing over the responsibility for Chris to someone else, although she suspected that that day wasn't all that long in coming. Wyatt was a different matter though, and while Chloe was a lovely girl - the embodiment of the wife that she had always hoped for her son - handing over the reigns was a wrench nevertheless.

Picking up on her mixed emotions, Wyatt stooped down and enveloped her in a bear hug. "I'm only getting married, Mom," he told her as he held her tightly within his strong embrace. "I'm not emigrating to Timbuktu. You'll still see me all the time."

"I know," Piper replied with an audible sniff. "And I'm happy for you, truly I am."

"You'll always be my favourite older woman," he promised faithfully, making her laugh in spite of herself.

"Glad to hear it," she said, wiping away the stray tear that had escaped to run down her cheek. "Your father and I are so proud of you - you do know that, don't you?"

"I do now," Wyatt replied with a smile.

"And we love you very much."

"I know - I love you too."

Piper cupped his face in her hands and kissed him in response. "Be happy okay?" she said. "And remember – we're always here for you whenever you need us."

Wyatt nodded solemnly, and then his face split into a wide, beatific smile. "So, am I allowed to get married now?" he asked.

Both his parents laughed. "Oh, I think you've got our permission," Piper replied archly.

"And our blessing," Leo added more seriously, a statement to which his wife nodded in whole-hearted agreement.

"Good," Wyatt said. He then drew in a deep breath and squared his shoulders. "Okay, I think I'm ready for my close-up now," he declared.

**OOOOOO**

_**Chloe and Wyatt's apartment…**_

"There," Emily said softly, as she fastened the last of the buttons and rearranged the bustle of her cousin's cream satin wedding dress. "You're done."

Chloe contemplated her reflection in the free-standing oval mirror in front of her for a moment, and then slowly turned to face the rest of the room's occupants. "So how do I look?" she asked.

"Pretty hot," her cousin told her with an impish grin.

"Elegantly demure," was her second bridesmaid, Prue's much more appropriate response.

"You're so pretty!" came little Amy's star-struck reply.

"Honey, you look absolutely stunning," her Aunt Bella told her.

"So beautiful," her mother whispered tearfully. "I can't believe my little girl's actually getting married. It only seems like yesterday that I first held you in my arms."

"Mom!" Chloe protested plaintively. "Don't – you'll make me cry and there's not enough time to re-do my make-up!"

Leann laughed and drew her daughter into a loose-armed hug, mindful not to crease her dress or disrupt the elaborate cascade of golden curls, opalescent pearls and cream, silk flowers that constituted her bridal hair arrangement. Chloe returned her mother's embrace with loving affection and then gently pulled away.

"So," Emily said, "Are we planning to be on time for this wedding or fashionably late?"

"On time," Chloe replied without hesitation. "I'm not going to keep Wyatt waiting, not after everything that has happened in the last few days – it wouldn't be fair."

Emily nodded. "Okay, I guess we should get going then," she said, holding her hands out towards Chloe and crooking her fingers in a come-hither gesture. Her cousin smiled serenely at her and slipped her fingers into hers.

"You could have the decency to act a little bit nervous," Emily teased as she leaned forward to bestow a chaste kiss on the radiant bride's cheek.

"I'm marrying the man I love, there's nothing to be nervous about," Chloe replied calmly.

"Well, there's no accounting for your taste," Prue said sardonically, "But good luck anyway."

Chloe giggled. "You don't mean that!"

"No?" Prue queried mockingly, then laughed and threw a sly sidelong at Emily. "Actually, it's the poor girl who ends up stuck with Chris that I feel more sorry for," she joked.

"Wyatt and Chris are cool!" Amy protested in indignation.

"You only think that because you're too young to know any better," Prue retorted as she took her little cousin's hand and led her from the room. Bella hugged her niece and wished her good luck, and then she and Emily also departed.

"I'll send your father in, shall I?" Leann said after she'd hugged her daughter a temporary, but fond farewell.

Chloe nodded, and then let out a nervous laugh. "I can't believe I'm actually about to do this," she said.

"Do what?" her mother asked, slightly puzzled.

"Marry Wyatt Halliwell."

"You love him, don't you?"

"Of course I do. It's just… you know, I heard so much about him growing up. He was this magical celebrity of sorts. And now, here I am on the brink of becoming his wife. It's just so surreal."

"He's a good man, Chloe." Leann said solemnly, "That's all that really matters. Human emotions make a marriage, honey, not magical powers."

"I know." Chloe said with a smile, and then nodded at the door. "You should go," she said. "If we carry on like this, I'm going to be late and I swore I wouldn't keep him waiting."

Leann cupped her daughter's face in her hands and kissed her gently. "I love you, sweetie."

"I love you too, Mom. Now send Dad in, will you? I want a man's point-of-view on how I look."

"I think I have one very beautiful daughter," Michael Simpson said from the doorway, "And she looks almost as stunning as her Mom did on her wedding day."

"'Almost as stunning'?" Chloe demanded in mock protest. "What kind of back-handed compliment is that?"

Her father laughed, stooping to kiss his smiling wife as she took her leave and followed the rest of advance wedding party downstairs to the waiting cars.

"I was the groom then," he explained to his daughter once they were alone. "It makes a difference. I'm sure Wyatt's going to think that you're the most beautiful creature he's ever laid eyes on."

"Well, that's the effect I was going for, so I guess we're ready to roll," Chloe declared.

"In a minute," Michael said, and then bent to kiss her lightly on the forehead. "Now, I'm not sure I'm quite ready to give you up yet, but if you're certain you want to do this…"

"It's what I want, Dad," Chloe reassured him.

"I know," Michael said, "Just checking though. A father's prerogative. So…" He held out his arm to her with a dramatic flourish. "Shall we?"

Chloe slipped her hand into the crook his elbow, then stood on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "I thought you'd never ask," she said with a broad smile as they turned and headed for the door...

**OOOOOO**

**_The Halliwell Manor…_**

Chris turned away from his murmured conversation with his parents just in time to see his brother's rigid posture visibly relax. A quick sweep with his sensing power confirmed why. Emily's presence instantly emerged from the background noise like a blazing comet, and he suspected Wyatt had been alerted to the arrival of his bride in much the same way.

Sure enough, a minute or so later, Wyatt's two oldest friends, Daniel and Martin stood cordially aside to allow Emily's parents and Leann Simpson to pass. As the three of them made their way up the aisle to take their seats at the front, an expectant hush fell over the gathered throng. The presence of bride's family meant that the wedding ceremony was about to begin, and the merry chatter quickly died away in anticipation of that.

The harmonising strains of the string quartet began a few moments later, and the congregation rose as one to their feet. As everyone craned their necks to witness the approach of the radiant bride, Wyatt remained staring rigidly forward, his fingers clenched into fists by his sides. He desperately wanted to turn around and watch Chloe walk up the aisle towards him, but found that he needed to concentrate on combating the sudden urge to throw up instead. Even though he knew he was doing the right thing, he'd never been so nervous about anything in his life.

Once the bride and her attendants were assembled at the back of the garden, the groomsmen bent and set the crystals - which they'd been holding in their hands up until now - ceremoniously down on the ground. Shimmering arcs of light burst like fireworks from the circle of white prisms, forming a criss-crossing dome of golden light over the wedding party. While the resultant effect was startlingly beautiful, it also had a serious purpose behind it. The cage was intended to keep any unwanted guests out. Nothing bar a natural disaster was to be allowed to disturb this wedding, the entire Halliwell coven had seen to that.

After a few moments of awestruck contemplation, Chris - his nerve endings still buzzing with the heady intensity of combined Charmed Power that had gone into constructing the mesmerising dome of light - turned his attention to more earthly concerns. Emily and Prue, with little Amy between them, had started their slow walk up the aisle ahead of Chloe, their faces wreathed with smiles as they nodded and waved to various members of the congregation as they passed by.

Rich sapphire-blue in colour, the bridesmaid's dresses were strapless with a fitted bodice, nipped-in waist and a slightly flared ankle-length skirt. The underlying satin fabric was covered with a chiffon overlay in a slightly lighter shade of blue, which created an eye-catching two-tone effect. The style of the gown enhanced Emily's curvy figure to maximum effect, Chris noted, and found that he had to swallow hard to overcome the decidedly unbalancing effect the flattering cut of his girlfriend's dress had on his sense of equilibrium.

In an effort to distract himself, he lifted his eyes to her face and found her looking back at him, a twinkle of amused censure shining in her blue eyes. She'd obviously sensed him checking her out, but didn't seem at all annoyed by it. In fact, she was positively glowing under his appreciative scrutiny. She smiled at him, and he grinned unrepentantly back at her before his gaze shifted onto his future sister-in-law, walking with her proud father a few paces behind her trio of attendants.

And his verdict on his brother's bride? Well, she looked absolutely stunning in his humble opinion. Her wedding gown was simple in design, but had an added touch of panache and sparkle to set it apart from the ordinary. She'd forgone the traditional veil and headdress in favour of keeping her long, blonde hair loose and natural. It was all very Chloe, Chris thought. She was an uncomplicated country girl at heart, and the lack of pretentiousness in her bridal garb reinforced that in spades.

He leaned over to speak quietly in his brother's ear. "I think you need to look," he softly advised.

"Yeah?" Wyatt's voice was slightly croaky.

"Definitely."

Taking his sibling's advice, Wyatt at last turned to face his approaching bride, and Chris grinned when he heard his brother's subsequent intake of breath. A delicate blush rose to stain Chloe's cheeks as she became aware of her groom's intense gaze, and Chris noted that her eyes never left Wyatt's face as she completed the remainder of her journey down the aisle to his side. It was as if everyone else had faded away into the distance and it was just the two of them, something that became glaringly apparent when the celebrant began to speak and the distracted bride and groom both startled like a pair of deer caught in headlights.

The celebrant paused and smiled warmly at them. "Are we ready to begin?" she asked the young couple in a gentle tone.

"Umm yeah, go ahead," Wyatt instructed tremulously, while Chloe blushed prettily and let out a self-conscious little giggle.

"Okay then," the celebrant said, and continued on with her introductory address, stressing the solemnity of the commitment that they were about to make, whilst also extolling the inner joy and happiness that their marriage could bring them as well.

Wyatt and Chloe had opted for a human marriage ceremony rather than a magical binding, a decision that a number of purists among the magical community had been highly disapproving of. Chris understood his brother's choice however. He knew that Wyatt - while fully accepting of his exalted position within the magical hierarchy - viewed his relationship with Chloe as something that fed the more human side of his soul. It seemed appropriate for them to make this lifetime commitment in the traditional human way therefore.

However, in deference to their Wicca heritage, the young couple had chosen to have their marriage magically blessed – a task that had fallen to a proud Leo, who was clad in his gold and cream Elder's robes for the occasion. Chris reckoned he could count the number of times he'd seen his father dressed like this on the fingers of one hand. Because he never made a big deal of his Elder status, it was often easy to forget that Leo also belonged 'up there' with his magical compatriots as well as on earth with his family.

When the time came for Wyatt and Chloe to exchange vows, Chris stole a quick glance over his shoulder at his family. Ever the emotional one, tears were already streaming down Phoebe's cheeks. Paige, Prue and Piper were much more composed, although he thought he saw a suspicious shine in his Mom's soft brown orbs. Penny Halliwell was watching the proceedings with an expression of deep pride on her austere face, while his Grams was standing next to his Grandpa, both of them beaming from ear to ear.

Smiling inwardly, he turned back to the front and met Emily's gaze as they stood opposite each other, either side of the bride and groom. Even though this was Wyatt and Chloe's day, he had been feeling the weight of expectation on himself and his girlfriend from all directions. He'd lost count of the number of not-so-subtle illusions to him following in his brother's footsteps, but surprisingly it didn't bother him all that much.

With Bianca, the mere mention of marriage had made him decidedly uneasy inside. However, with Emily, he just didn't get that uncomfortable urge to run and hide. He knew that they were a long way from marriage yet, but he also knew that, if things went according to plan, then a wedding was the inevitable outcome. He was determined not to rush anything though. While he might appear more impulsive than Wyatt on the surface, when it came to life-altering decisions, he adopted a much more conservative approach than his brother and his relationship with Emily would be no exception to that.

Unable to speak to or touch her right now, he shot her a conspiratorial wink instead, and was delighted to see a flush of pink jump to the apples of her cheeks. It told him that he hadn't been the only one speculating about their possible future as Wyatt and Chloe exchanged their vows, and something deep within him was exorbitantly pleased by that.

He was called upon to hand over the rings then, and the act brought his attention back to the central purpose of this long-anticipated day – the two people who were currently getting married right in front of him. Wyatt seemed to have overcome his initial nerves, for he now spoke the words of his vows in a clear, steady voice, his eyes never once straying from his bride's face as he did so. Chloe, in turn, was equally confident about the promises she was making and the rest of ceremony passed smoothly as a consequence.

Instead of announcing them as husband and wife however, the celebrant stepped aside and Leo took centre stage to perform the blessing. Chris had never seen this done before and, because his father had insisted that things should be as spontaneous as possible, neither Wyatt nor Chloe knew what to expect either.

Chris watched, fascinated therefore, as Leo took a smooth, highly-polished spherical crystal of the purest white out of his pocket and handed to Chloe, quietly instructing her to hold it in the palm of her hands. He then directed Wyatt to place his hands over hers before he completed the ritual by sandwiching their co-joined fingers between his own palms.

His hands then began to glow with a pale golden light, which, at first glance, looked very much like his healing power, but that was actually something much more profound and far-reaching. Wyatt and Chloe both had rather stunned looks on their faces, and Chris could only imagine what they were experiencing as their union was blessed by magic beyond both their understandings.

After about thirty seconds, Leo took his hands away, leaving Wyatt and Chloe standing with their hands tightly clasped and the crystal orb nowhere to be seen. Chris's eyes widened. "Where did it…?" he started to ask, and then broke off when he realised that this probably wasn't the time.

"Later," Leo told him shortly, before he turned back to his son and new daughter-in-law. "I think this is the bit where I pronounce you husband and wife," he announced with a wide smile.

"So, do I get to kiss her now?" Wyatt demanded of his father as the congregation erupted into spontaneous applause behind him.

"Only if you want to," Leo replied with a chuckle.

"Oh, I want to," Wyatt declared emphatically. Wrapping an arm around Chloe's waist, he tugged her up close so they were virtually nose-to-nose.

"Hi, Mrs Halliwell," he said softly as she looped her arms around his neck and smiled happily up into his face.

Chloe Halliwell, née Simpson, opened her mouth to respond, but whatever she had been about to say was swallowed by her husband's lips, as he brought his mouth firmly down on hers and kissed her for the first time as his wife…

:-)

**_To be continued…_**


	44. The Reception Part 1

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes**: Hi! Sorry this has taken forever and a day to update – and even bigger apologies to those readers of False Memories who have been waiting even longer for an update. I've had a bad case of writer's block for the last couple of months and am only just now getting over it. I'll be working hard on False Memories as soon as I've posted this, I promise.

Because it ended up extra long, I'm posting this final chapter in two parts. Both will be posted at once though, so when you've reached the end of this, the final part should already be up. While this concludes Unrequited, please see the extra Author's notes at the end of final chapter for details about the sequel :-)

Anyway, enough rambling, on with the show… Wyatt and Chloe have just gotten married and the reception is in full swing…

**OOOOOO**

**Chapter 44 – The Reception – Part 1**

Emily stood slightly to one side, looking on as friends and family alike took it in turns to offer their congratulations to the happy couple.

Chloe was incandescent with joy - two bright spots of colour accenting the delicate arch of her cheekbones and her violet-blue eyes glowing with inner happiness. Wyatt was equally jovial, laughing and joking with their guests, whilst keeping his new wife close by his side with a protective arm around her waist. Emily had to smile at his unconscious solicitousness. It was almost as if there was an invisible piece of string tying him and Chloe together, they were so much as one with each other at the moment.

"Wishing it were you?" A light, teasing voice murmured in her ear, and she turned to see Prue standing next to her, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"If you're trying to be subtle, it isn't working," Emily remarked dryly.

Prue laughed at her friend's acerbic wit. "You'd better get used to it," she advised. "Because I'm not the only one speculating, you know."

"Yeah, so I've noticed," Emily responded with a sardonic roll of her eyes.

"It's not hard to see why though," Prue went on in a more serious tone.

"It's not?" Emily asked, looking questionably at the dark-haired witch beside her.

"I wish a man would look at me the way Chris looks at you," Prue said enviously. "I mean not him personally of course – because that'd be like… eew! But some other guy…"

"What about you and Adam? I thought you two were happy."

"We are," Prue said before she sighed a little despondently. "I don't know, I guess seeing Wyatt and Chloe so in love - not to mention the way you and Chris are with each other - has made me realise that there's something missing between us. He's a great guy and we have a lot of fun together. It's just he's not…"

"The one?" Emily supplied, when her friend struggled to find the right words to describe her disquiet.

Prue nodded. "I guess that's what it comes down to in the end, yeah."

"You're only nineteen though, Prue, way too young to settle down yet. Just enjoy your relationship for what it is for now. There'll be plenty of time to find Mr Right later on."

"And of course, you're so much older than I am," Prue pointed out laughingly.

Emily smiled. "Nearly five years," she answered. "And I've never been one for playing the field much anyway…"

Prue giggled. "And now who's speculating?" she teased.

Emily blushed a deep, rosy red. "I wasn't…," she began and then stopped because maybe she was at that.

Her relationship with Chris had turned out to be everything that she'd hoped for and more. The look he'd given her as Wyatt and Chloe exchanged vows had sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. However, while she was unarguably head over heels in love with him, she was also very wary of speculating too much about their possible future together. The pain of her unrequited feelings had been difficult enough to deal with. She didn't know how she'd handle the agony of a broken heart should that ever come to pass.

The object of her thoughts appeared at her side then, and she looked up into his face with a soft smile of greeting. "Hi!"

"Hey sexy!" Chris said in response to her quiet hello. He deliberately looked her up and down, his green eyes awash with masculine appreciation. "Nice dress."

"And that's my cue to be some place else," Prue said, wrinkling her nose in distaste before she beat a hasty retreat and left the two of them alone.

"Do you have to be such a guy?" Emily demanded plaintively of her grinning boyfriend.

"What can I say? You – and that dress – bring out the worst in me," Chris replied, earning himself a sharp dig in the ribs for his trouble.

"Ouch! That hurt!" he complained, rubbing his side in protest.

"Yeah well, serves you right," Emily retorted unsympathetically. "Could you be more of a caveman if you tried?"

Chris laughed and reached out to take her hand in his. "Come with me," he urged and began to lead her towards the house, his strides long and purposeful in nature.

"Where are we going?" she asked as they passed through the kitchen, into the hallway and then on up the stairs.

"Somewhere private where we can talk," Chris told her as they reached the first floor landing. He twisted the handle of his bedroom door and ushered her inside ahead of him.

"Is there something wrong?" Emily asked worriedly, turning to face him as he entered the room and shut the door behind them.

Chris shook his head in reassurance. "No, no, I just thought that we should, well…" He broke off, paused for a moment to think, and then decided to broach the subject from a different angle.

"People are talking," he told her with quiet emphasis.

"You're not kidding!" Emily remarked with a nervous little giggle.

Chris smiled uncertainly at her. "I figured we should… well, you know… discuss, umm… what to say. Get our stories straight so to speak."

"Freaking you out is it?" she asked him with a teasing lilt in her voice.

"Not particularly," Chris answered, his calm, matter-of-fact tone prompting her heart to perform a series of somersaults inside of her chest. "I do think it's a bit too soon for us to be thinking along those lines though."

Emily nodded her agreement of this. "I know; me too."

"I mean it's important that we take things at our own pace…" Chris went on.

"And not let anyone pressure us into anything before we're ready," Emily finished for him.

"I see we're of one mind," Chris said, stepping in closer to her and sliding his arms around her waist.

"We've got something going for us at least then," Emily said, as she leaned back against his hold and looped her arms around his neck.

"Yeah, yeah, we have," Chris agreed, touching his forehead to hers and smiling down into the depths of her ocean-blue eyes. "And that dress is definitely another," he added with a roguish grin. "It's got my undivided attention right now, that's for sure."

"Chris!" Emily protested with a laugh.

Her boyfriend laughed with her. "Just kidding," he said with some degree of contrition. "Well, sort of anyway..."

Emily laughed again. "You're incorrigible," she declared with a weary shake of her head.

"Maybe so, but you still love me."

"Mmm," she mused. "I have to admit I'm guilty as charged on that one."

"Well, don't sweat it 'cus I love you too," Chris said, spearing the fingers of his right hand through the silky tendrils her flame-red hair and lightly stroking the pad of his thumb over the swell of her cheek.

"And that dress," he added impishly before he finally lowered his mouth to hers in a distinctly knee-buckling kiss…

**OOOOOO**

_**Outside in the garden…**_

"Where did Chris and Emily go?" Chloe asked, looking around for her cousin and recently-acquired brother-in-law. "It's almost time for the photographs."

Wyatt quickly sensed for the whereabouts of his younger sibling and then grinned rather wickedly. "I think they've found an alternative means of entertainment," he said.

Chloe huffed out her breath in exasperation. "Can't they keep their hands off each other for five minutes?" she complained in a petulant tone.

Wyatt laughed. "Apparently not," he said and then let out a mournful sigh. "I miss those days," he lamented tragically. "It's true what they say - it all goes downhill after you're married."

Chloe gave him a long, steady look and then shook her head with a smile. "You're not funny, you know," she informed him.

"And yet you're smiling," Wyatt pointed out pedantically, as he stooped to plant a sound kiss on her upturned lips.

Chloe slapped him lightly across the chest. "Just get them down here," she ordered in a peremptory tone.

"Yes ma'am!" Wyatt saluted her smartly, and then called out to his wayward brother.

"Okay, put her down, bro," he said acidly, "And get your butt down here before my wife forces me to permanently disown you. You've got about thirty seconds before I orb you both in regardless if that's any incentive."

The threat of embarrassing exposure seemed to work because, a few seconds later, there was a flurry of blue orb lights and Chris and Emily appeared beside them, both looking suitably ashamed of themselves.

"Having fun?" Wyatt asked with one eyebrow lifted suggestively towards the clear, blue sky overhead.

"We had some things to discuss," Emily protested weakly in their defence.

"Right." Wyatt nodded solemnly, paused for effect and then... "Non verbal discussion was it?" he asked airily.

Chloe threw back her head and broke into gales of laughter at that. Emily meanwhile, blushed crimson, and Chris punched his brother on the shoulder in retaliation.

"Don't be such a hypocrite," the younger Halliwell said. "You're hardly one to talk. The length of that 'you may kiss the bride' kiss earlier was worthy of the record books if you ask me."

Chloe looked at her husband, a merry twinkle in her violet-blue eyes. "He does have a point," she conceded. "Not that I was complaining of course," she added hastily.

Wyatt grinned. "And I should think not," he said, reaching out to thread his fingers through hers. He lifted her hand to his lips and gently kissed the back of her knuckles, just as Piper bustled into their conversation, looking rather harried

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you." She glared at her younger son. "Where have you been?" she demanded. "You almost missed the photographs."

"Yes Chris - where have you been?" Wyatt echoed in an infuriatingly sing-song tone, taking great delight in the opportunity to poke fun at his little brother.

Chris gestured rudely at him, an act that luckily escaped their mother's notice for she had already moved on to round up various other members of the family, her manner typically industrious.

"You two are never gonna grow up, are you?" Chloe asked despairingly, as the four of them made their way over to the white, clapperboard gazebo that was to serve as the backdrop for the official wedding photographs.

"Maybe in a decade or two," Wyatt said, prompting his brother to snigger in a distinctly juvenile fashion.

Chloe rolled her eyes at their childish antics. "I believe I may be reconsidering the wisdom of this marriage," she said dryly.

"Sorry babe - it's way too late for that," Wyatt replied, hooking an arm around her waist and tugging her up close. "I don't do divorce, so you're stuck with me for the rest of your life whether you like it or not."

"I guess I'm just going to have to make the best of it then," Chloe said coyly, lowering her gaze and looking up through her eyelashes at him.

"Mmm, I guess you will," Wyatt murmured, brushing his lips across hers in the sweetest of butterfly kisses.

"I dare say I can survive the torture," Chloe whispered, before she bridged the gap between them and pressed her mouth firmly against his.

Chris and Emily exchanged an amused look as the newlywed's embrace quickly deepened, the strong feeling of absolute togetherness, which their marriage had brought them, quickly overwhelming their sense of social propriety.

"Looks like it wasn't necessary for us to sneak off somewhere private to make out earlier," the dark-haired witch-whitelighter remarked drolly, as he wrapped an affectionate arm around his girlfriend from behind. "Apparently, it's perfectly acceptable to do it in full public view nowadays."

"On your wedding day maybe," Emily replied, leaning back against him and curling both hands around the arm that he'd casually looped across her upper torso. "It's almost expected then. I'm not sure about any other time though."

"Damn! And here's me thinking I was about to get lucky!"

Emily giggled. "Nice try, but I think you just struck out, buster."

"With you maybe," her boyfriend retorted playfully, "But I'm sure there's some other lovely lady here who'll be willing to oblige..."

"Do NOT even think about it," Emily said, twisting out of his arms and placing a staying hand against his chest. "You're mine, you hear?"

"Oh, is that right?" Chris asked, looking down at her with a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Uh-huh," Emily told him with a nod, "And don't you forget it, all right?"

"I wouldn't dream of it – it's more than my life is worth apparently."

"And _now _he's getting the picture."

Chris laughed. "You're a crazy psycho lady, you know that?"

Emily grinned at him. "And you're only just figuring that out?" she asked him with an arch look.

Chris laughed again, and then bent and stole a series of brief, sipping kisses from her lips before turning his attention back to his brother and sister-in-law. The happy couple were still completely engrossed in their kiss, and were therefore oblivious to the small crowd gathering to view the impending photo session.

"Ahem!" Chris loudly cleared his throat to garner their attention. "Come on - break it up you two. You're not on your honeymoon yet, you know."

There were various titters of laughter and hooting cat-calls from their surrounding friends at this, and Wyatt grinned rather sheepishly as he and Chloe broke off their passionate embrace.

"Just practising," he quipped as his mortified wife hid her flaming face against his chest.

"Why? Do you need it?" Daniel, one of their closest friends, shot back in his usual irreverent manner.

"Ha! Ha!" Wyatt retorted sarcastically before a calculated gleam entered his eye. "I see you've finally managed to pluck up the nerve," he observed slyly.

"What?" Daniel looked puzzled for a moment, and then flickered a quick glance at the young woman standing next to him - his long-time friend, April - whose hand he tellingly held firmly within his. "Oh!" He looked faintly embarrassed at being caught out. "Yeah."

"Well finally!" Emily remarked expansively, her blue eyes sparkling with silent laughter.

Daniel looked rather warily at her. "I think I owe you an apology," he said, referring to the heated exchange of words that they'd had on this very subject, the night of Wyatt and Chloe's bachelor and bachelorette parties.

Emily generously waved off his offered apology. "No problem. It's all forgotten," she assured him.

"What is?" April asked, a tiny frown of concern creasing her brow.

"It was nothing," Emily reassured her friend. "Dan just wasn't very impressed with my well-meaning advice last week that's all."

"Advice about me?" April quickly surmised.

"Yeah," Daniel said. "I wasn't ready to listen back then, I guess. You were right though," he said to Emily. "It was different for you with Chris – I'm sorry I suggested it wasn't."

Emily nodded her acceptance of this. "As I said, it's forgotten. And I'm happy for you both – honestly. It's about time if you ask me."

April smiled, wrapping her arms around her new boyfriend's waist as he curled an affectionate arm around her shoulders. "We did kind of make a performance of it, didn't we?" she remarked with a self-conscious little laugh.

"Oh, you think?" Emily asked ingeniously, and then laughed. "You don't exactly have the monopoly on that though, do you?" she said ruefully, looking over to where Chris was chatting animatedly with his three Aunts nearby.

Daniel followed her gaze, his expression thoughtful. "He's different since you and he got together, Emily, you know," he said quietly, "I can't put my finger on exactly how, but it's a good thing, I promise you. He just seems so much happier somehow."

Emily didn't quite know how to respond to that, but she was spared the need when she was called to take her place in the official wedding photographs. Afterwards, with the essential formalities of the day out of the way, the celebratory party stepped up another gear.

Rather than a sit-down meal, Wyatt and Chloe had chosen to give their wedding reception a distinctly informal feel. A feast of near epic proportions was laid out on groaning trestle tables along one side of the garden, and there was champagne, fruit punch and homemade lemonade aplenty. Succulent chickens, thickly-cut steaks and foil-wrapped salmon were being roasted over hot coals in one corner of the garden, and everything was being served by a tall, broad-shouldered chef, dressed in traditional white garb and with a mushroom-shaped hat perched somewhat haphazardly atop his head.

The live band hired for the occasion were playing a mixture of contemporary tunes and old classics, while a magician friend of Wyatt's – who as a true magical being had no need for human parlour magic but performed it anyway – wended his way through the milling crowd, delighting them with traditional sleights of hand and an array of card tricks.

A kind of carnival atmosphere settled over the sunlit garden during the rest of the afternoon's festivities, and the air was filled with the sound of lively chatter as the guests ate and drank their fill of the magnificent spread. Then, a few hours later, with dusk casting lengthening shadows over the merry gathering, strings of brightly coloured lanterns and flickering candles turned the ambience significantly more romantic.

Emily had spent the majority of the afternoon mingling with the guests, acting out her role as one of the main players of the day. While it was expected that Wyatt and Chloe would remain by each other's side, it hadn't been so easy for her and Chris to keep each other's company. As a consequence, she'd barely spoken more than a few passing words to him since the official photograph session several hours before.

It was only now that she realised how few of the Halliwell's mutual acquaintances that she actually knew. She'd been introduced to the brothers' inner circle of close friends, but their influence extended far beyond that it appeared. Chris's presence was constantly in demand, and she could clearly see the kind of respect he commandeered in the people that he spoke to.

It was an as yet undiscovered facet to the man that she had fallen in love with. Wyatt's hierarchical position within the magical community she was fully aware of, but Chris's eminence had completely passed her by - probably because he never made a big deal of it. Humility was a trait that ran through the entire family from eldest to youngest inclusive, it seemed.

The whole thing made her feel distinctly uneasy. Would she measure up to this exclusive clique's exacting standards? Bianca, with her effortless beauty and cosmopolitan ways must have fitted right in. But Emily, raised in small-town America by loving but otherwise ordinary parents, felt gauche and awkward around such people. It wasn't the same for Chloe somehow – her cousin had a level of social sophistication that Emily herself had never possessed. Moreover, she was Wyatt's choice of bride – a decision that no one in their right mind would question.

Chris seemed determined to keep her in the background as well, for he'd not introduced her to anyone unless forced to. Emily wasn't quite sure what to make of that. Was he ashamed to be with her? She shook her head, trying to clear that unsettling thought from her mind. There was nothing in his demeanour that suggested that. He was open and free with his affection towards her – and Daniel had said that their relationship was good for him, that Chris had seemed so much happier of late. There must be some other reason for his reticence then.

Drifting away from the main party, she settled herself on a wooden bench in a corner of the garden, nursing a glass of homemade lemonade between her cupped palms as she brooded on the subject. She knew her insecurities made her guilty of seeing problems where there were none, but she wanted an explanation for his behaviour nevertheless. She wasn't someone who needed to be the centre of attention all the time, but equally she didn't like being shunted into the background either. It made her feel insignificant, like her presence in Chris's life was unimportant to him, inconsequential somehow.

As the sun dipped below the horizon however, she was brought out of her reverie with a startled jolt when someone rather unexpected interrupted her solitary sojourn.

"What are you doing hiding over here?" Penny Halliwell asked abruptly, sitting down on the bench next to her great-grandson's girlfriend and looking quizzically at her.

"I… err…"

Emily stammered in confusion. Penny had such an austere reputation that she wasn't sure how to respond. Wyatt and Chris both seemed decidedly in awe of the formidable matriarch of the Halliwell clan. They spoke of her with the profoundest of respect, and Emily had always gotten the impression that if she clicked her fingers, they'd jump, no questions asked.

"Well girl?" Penny demanded, her appraising gaze as piercing as a golden eagle's in the midst of a hunt.

Emily had been knocked so off-balance by this unanticipated interruption that she found herself telling the older woman the truth before she could stop herself. "I was just wondering where I fit in," she said, waving her hand at the gathering in front of her. "I don't know if I'll ever be… well… good enough for all of this, I suppose."

Penny studied her carefully for a moment, and then pursed her lips thoughtfully. "My great-grandsons are astute enough to play their part when necessary," she explained to the young red-headed witch, "But you don't think that they take any of it seriously, do you? I didn't bring my girls up to be social prima donnas, and they haven't raised their own children to be that way either. I think that's clear from the boy's choice of friends. The casual acquaintances don't really matter, you know - it's the people that they're closest to that count. Do you feel uncomfortable with any of them?"

Emily mutely shook her head in reply.

"Well then," Penny said briskly, patting her encouragingly on the arm, "I think you'll do just fine. My ex-son-in-law certainly seems to think so, and while I can't say I usually pay much attention to Victor's opinion, he does seem to be peculiarly perceptive when it comes to his grandsons' lives. You're an improvement on Chris's previous conquest at least. That little missy wore her skirts far too short in my opinion, but then maybe that was the attraction. He _is _a man after all, and they all have their shortcomings, great-grandson or no."

Emily wasn't sure if Penny was joking or not, for she delivered this little speech with a perfectly straight face. Hedging her bets, she shot the older witch a tight smile in response. Penny's reassurances had made her feel somewhat better about herself though. There was still one thing that was bothering her however.

"So why is he so reluctant to introduce me to people then?" she blurted out.

"Ahh! So, that's the problem, is it?" Penny said knowingly. "Your pretty little nose has been put out of joint, huh?"

"No, I…" Emily flushed and looked down at her hands.

"I think you may have misunderstood his intentions," Penny went on. "Chris is a very private person, and he doesn't like everyone knowing his personal business. His attitude is no reflection on you, quite the opposite in fact. He's purposely shielding you from what he believes is an unjustifiable intrusion into your private life. Be grateful that he respects you enough not to want your relationship to be used as the latest gossip fodder."

Emily had not considered that, although she realised now that she should have done. Casting her mind back to that fateful day when she and Chris had first met, she recalled his overly defensive reaction when he'd discovered that she was a witch and already knew who he and Wyatt were. His manner had switched from open and friendly to shuttered and hostile in a blink of an eye, and it was only her quirky sense of humour that had prevented their relationship from getting off on completely the wrong foot.

"I shouldn't think it'll be something you have to worry about for too much longer anyway," Penny said once her young companion had absorbed all of this. "It appears that Wyatt has had the foresight not to invite anyone who has the bad manners to outstay their welcome. I rather think that all but close friends and family will be leaving soon."

This, it turned out, was very much the case, for the number of guests dwindled considerably over the next half hour or so, as Emily sat talking to – or rather being interrogated by - her boyfriend's great-grandmother. Much to her consternation, she found herself owning up to her entire life-story, for with Penny there was no chance of selective evasion. It was Wyatt who rescued her in the end, and she breathed a sigh of relief at his fortuitous approach.

"Hey!" he said, holding out his hand towards her. "I think you owe me a dance."

"I do?" Emily asked with a sceptical lift of her eyebrows.

"Yeah, it's tradition."

"Since when?"

"Since I said so," Wyatt responded with aplomb.

Emily smiled. "Won't Chloe mind?" she asked.

"Nah!" Wyatt shook his head nonchalantly. "I've given her permission to dance with Chris. I'm not sure that she's ended up with the better end of the bargain though."

"Oh, your brother has his attractions, believe me," Emily told him.

Wyatt grimaced rather theatrically at that. "Yeah well, each to their own, I suppose," he said, "Can't quite see the appeal myself, but then some women do have rather dubious taste, don't they?"

Emily stuck her tongue out at him and he grinned at her. "So, are you going to dance with me then?" he demanded. "Or do I have to resort to the beyond for a partner instead?" He cast a mischievous glance at his great-grandmother as he said this.

"Watch the lip, young man," Penny warned him, the twinkle in her eye belying the ominous tone of her voice.

"Sorry," he apologised, ducking his gaze contritely. "Actually, I'd be honoured if you'd dance with me," he went on, all traces of humour gone now. "May I reserve the next dance?" he asked her formally.

Penny beamed at him, the expression softening her stern features into stately luminescence. "I believe you may have just redeemed yourself," she said, her voice rife with a myriad of indefinable emotions.

Wyatt acknowledged this with a brief nod of his head, and then offered his arm to Emily, who rose gracefully to her feet and allowed him to escort her to the makeshift dance-floor at the far end of the garden.

"You sure like to live dangerously, don't you?" she commented wryly once she was certain that they were out of Penny's earshot.

Wyatt chuckled. "You looked like you needed rescuing. Giving you the third degree, was she?"

"Umm, you could say that, yeah."

"She's a complete pushover really, you know," he said.

"Tell me – do you know what the word 'deluded' means?" Emily countered sarcastically.

Wyatt smiled down at her as he took her into a loose ballroom-style hold. "I'll have to look it up," he jested, before his expression became more serious. "I wanted to thank you," he said as they began to move in slow circles around the dance-floor.

"For what?"

"For choosing our apartment block to move into," he told her with touch of self-consciousness.

"Oh… that," she replied with a sunny smile. "You're welcome. Turned out rather well, don't you think?"

Wyatt looked over to where Chloe was standing talking to her mother and his, her long hair cascading like a golden waterfall down her back. "Yeah, I reckon it did," he agreed softly. "I was beginning to think it would never happen for me - that I would ever find someone who would be able to look beyond my reputation and see the real me, I mean."

"Lots of people do that, Wyatt," Emily chided him.

"On a friendship level maybe," Wyatt conceded with a shrug, "But when it comes to dating, it's never been that straightforward. I've always attracted the wrong sort, I suppose, and the magical baggage usually frightened off the right kind of girl. Chloe is pretty unique in that sense. It's as if she doesn't really care about any of that."

"Maybe that's because she doesn't look at people in the same way as the rest of us," Emily said wisely. "Her aura-sensing power tells her things about a person that you wouldn't normally be able to get from a first impression. Your name and reputation wouldn't have meant all that much to her beyond the initial hello. She would have seen you for the man you are on the inside almost immediately."

Wyatt nodded. "Luckily for me," he said.

"And for her too," Emily pointed out. "Your happiness isn't one-sided, Wyatt. Chloe's found the person she's been searching for as well. Take it from me, you make her happier than you could possibly imagine."

Wyatt's face broke into a wide smile at that. "Well, I try," he said with an exaggerated show of modesty.

Emily smiled warmly at him. "Believe me – you succeed," she assured him, and then gasped in shocked surprise as a strong arm suddenly encircled her waist from behind.

"Beat it, bro – I'm cutting in." Chris reached out a hand and firmly pushed Wyatt back a step, forcing his brother to release his hold on the startled Emily.

"Chris!" she admonished him.

"What?" The dark-haired witch-whitelighter was unrepentant. "He's got his own girl to dance with – he shouldn't be muscling in on mine."

"Trust me, I've got better things to do with my time," Wyatt immediately retorted, and then his eyes widened comically as he realised what he'd just said.

"And that came out _really_ wrong," he hurriedly recanted off Emily's indignant look.

"Oh no, please continue," she said frostily. "I'm all ears."

"I meant that you… well that Chloe is, umm…"

"Yes?"

"I, err…" Wyatt broke off with a rueful grimace. "I think it's best if I make a tactical retreat, don't you?" he decided after a meaningful pause.

"Wise idea," Emily remarked coolly, although her blue eyes were now filled with silent mirth.

Beside her, Chris was nearly crying with laughter at his brother's unintentional faux pas. "Yeah, that way you might avoid putting the other foot in it!" he declared amidst paroxysms of amusement.

"It's not that funny!" Wyatt protested grumpily before he looked apologetically at the by now openly smiling Emily. "I didn't mean it like that honestly," he swore to her. "I was just…"

"Wyatt?" Emily interrupted in a light tone.

"Yeah?"

"I'd quit while you're ahead if I were you," she advised him drolly.

Wyatt grinned at her. "Perhaps it's best," he agreed.

Reaching out with his right hand, he cuffed his chortling brother upside the head, and then turned on his heel and walked away with as much dignity as he could muster. Leaning back against Chris's hold, Emily watched as Chloe caught her husband's hand as he passed, drawing him into her conversation with their mothers with effortless ease. Wyatt, after a few words of explanation, quickly excused himself however, before going on to seek out his great-grandmother for their previously arranged dance.

They made a handsome couple - Wyatt, tall, broad-shouldered and radiating a heady aura of magical power. And Penny, upright, iron-willed and with a look of fierce but loving pride on her matronly face. A reverent hush fell over the wedding party as the two cut a broad, figure-of-eight path across the dance floor, and Emily felt Chris's arms tighten involuntarily around her as they stepped back out of the way, clearing a space so that Wyatt and Penny could take centre stage.

It was a special family moment and Emily's earlier sense of not belonging completely vanished in the face of it. The fact that Chris kept her close by his side, while he proudly watched his brother and great-grandmother dance, resonated deeply within her. He was openly sharing this experience with her; there was no thought of shutting her out. She could feel his warm breath ruffling her hair and she tilted her head back to look up into his face. He smiled down at her and then dipped his head and pressed a chaste, but lingering kiss against her lips as if to confirm what she already knew.

He loved her – wholly and completely – there was no barrier there. What she'd taken as reticence was just a need to safeguard what they had. He didn't want to mess this up anymore than she did. With that knowledge, all Emily's lingering doubt melted away. They would continue to take their relationship one step at a time, she knew, but they would be moving in the same direction and that was enough for now.

Snuggling back against him, she nestled her head into the concave dip of his collarbone and let out a contented little sigh…

****

**_To be immediately continued in the next chapter, so press that arrow button now!_**


	45. The Reception Part 2

**UNREQUITED**

**Summary: **When Emily Hargreaves meets Wyatt and Chris Halliwell, she has no idea how complicated her life is about to become. Set in the changed future. It's about life, love and all of that…

**Disclaimer: **The characters in Charmed do not belong to me. No infringement is intended, no profit is made. The characters of Emily and Chloe do belong to me though, but they can be borrowed as long as I'm asked first.

**Notes**: As promised, second part posted with the first. I was in a whimsical frame of mind when I wrote this, so a few of the scenes are a little bit naughty in places. Please therefore be suitably warned.

So here we are at the final curtain, just over fifteen months after it was first raised. Thanks to one and all for taking this journey with me, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Thanks for all the reviews, they're very much appreciated. And, even though Charmed has now gone to that TV Show heaven in the sky, here's hoping you'll stick around for my next Charmed adventure…

**OOOOOO**

**Chapter 45 – The Reception – Part 2**

**_Piper and Leo's bedroom, some time later…_**

"Do I have to take it off?"

Chloe pouted disconsolately as Wyatt buttoned up the navy-blue and white striped shirt that he'd just changed into. He smiled - his wife could be utterly adorable at times even if he did say so himself.

"Well, you _could _wear it for the entire honeymoon," he said, "But it might be rather on the warm side. Not to mention seriously in the way," he added rather lasciviously.

Chloe let out a naughty little giggle at this, and then finally relented. "All right, I think you've persuaded me," she told him archly.

Sweeping her long mane of blonde hair off her neck, she held it out of the way with one hand. "Unbutton me then," she instructed.

The tiny buttons down the back of the creamy-white wedding dress were decidedly fiddly and Wyatt was soon swearing under his breath in frustration. "Did you really have to pick this particular dress?" he complained.

"Yes," was Chloe's emphatic response, "I thought you liked it?"

"Oh, I do," he hastened to assure her. "I did tell you that, didn't I?"

"Several times," Chloe threw a brilliant smile over her shoulder at him. "In fact, if I recall correctly, you said I was the most beautiful thing in the entire universe."

Wyatt grinned. "So I did – although that's not entirely down to the dress," he said, pressing a moist kiss against the nape of her neck when he finally managed to free her from her wedding gown.

Chloe shrugged out of the dress with an audible sigh of reluctance. "It _was_ perfect, wasn't it?" she said, as she lovingly laid out the ivory satin garment on the bed and reached for the cornflower-blue sundress that she'd chosen as her going-away outfit.

"It did the job," Wyatt told her with a teasing smile. She poked her tongue out at him and he amended his answer with warm chuckle. "More than did the job," he assured her wholeheartedly.

Chloe beamed at him, her violet-blue eyes glowing like two brightly polished amethysts. "You're so nice," she declared, and then turned around and presented her back to him so that he could zip her up.

Wyatt slid the tiny plastic zipper into place, then sat back and watched as Chloe removed her cream, pointy-toed wedding shoes and slipped her feet into a pair of strappy, silver sandals instead. Turning this way and that, she critically appraised her reflection in the mirror, smoothing down the skirt of her dress and adjusting a few wayward strands of her hair until everything was to her satisfaction.

"Ready, Mrs Halliwell?" Wyatt asked once she'd finished her titivating.

"I think so, Mr Halliwell," Chloe confirmed with a nod. "Hand me my bouquet, will you please?"

Wyatt reached behind him and retrieved the cascade of beautifully arranged flowers from the top of the chest of drawers where she'd carefully placed them earlier. "No cheating when you throw them," he cautioned her playfully as he handed them to her.

"Whatever do you mean?" His wife responded in a tone of injured innocence as she took the bouquet from him, "As if I'd do a thing like that!"

Wyatt shot her a knowing look. "You forget, I know you," he told her pointedly.

"I don't see any harm in giving fate a little bit of a helping hand, do you?" Chloe asked with an airy toss of her head.

"Well, I won't tell if you don't," Wyatt replied with a conspiratorial wink as they headed, hand in hand, for the door…

**OOOOOO**

**_Outside in the garden…_**

"So – how you holding up?"

Piper looked up to find her three sisters standing over her, all with expressions of gentle sympathy on their faces. "This is a wedding not a funeral," she reminded them tartly, "I'm holding up just fine, thank-you."

"The apron springs have been irrevocably cut now though, haven't they?" Phoebe said shrewdly, as she and Prue sat down on either side of her and Paige perched on the arm of the bench next the elder of the two. "That's got to hurt a little bit."

Piper shrugged. "Maybe, but it's for the best. Have you seen how happy my boy is?"

Her fellow Charmed Ones' nodded in unison. "I think you could officially classify it as cloud nine," Prue remarked with a soft smile.

"Exactly. So how could I – his mother - ever deny him that? It's all I've ever wanted for him."

"And his brother," she added quietly as her gaze sought out her younger son, who was dancing with his girlfriend nearby, his face aglow with happiness.

The song that the young couple were dancing to ended a short while later, and the two of them crossed to join the four sisters just as Leo approached from the opposite direction. "I think Wyatt and Chloe are about ready to leave," the Elder announced.

"Oo, I love this bit!" Phoebe said, jumping to her feet with overzealous enthusiasm.

"An unfortunate throwback to when she was just that little bit desperate," Paige observed wryly to Emily. "She'd have practically murdered someone to catch the bouquet in those days."

"Hey!" Phoebe protested indignantly as Prue, Piper and Leo all laughed. "I wasn't _that_ bad."

"Of course not," Piper said, taking her husband's arm as they made their way round to the front of the Manor. "You only refused to go on a second date if you didn't get a premonition of happily-ever-after from the first!"

"Isn't that personal gain?" Chris asked mildly.

"I think we'll let Phoebe answer that one," Paige decided.

"Err, excuse me, Miss I-conjured-myself-a-sex-toy," Phoebe retorted hotly, "Pot and Kettle or what?"

"Aunt Paige, you didn't!" Chris stared at his youngest Aunt in open-mouthed shock.

"Yes actually - I did," Paige admitted unapologetically, "Although it wasn't quite as sordid as Phoebe makes it sound."

"And you can wipe that look off your face as well," she went on. "I had quite enough of that from your other self, thank-you very much,

"He knew about this?"

"Yes, and he was annoyingly disapproving just like you. I don't know who taught him that personal gain was such a bad thing," she said with an impish, sidelong glance at her sisters.

"Err, I reckon that would be you," Chris replied. "What goes around, comes around, I guess."

Paige wrinkled her nose in chagrin. "Yes, thank-you for stating the obvious."

"Don't mention it," Chris told her with a twinkling smile.

"Of course, he _was_ much more upset over David if I recall correctly," Paige went on, earning herself a slap on the arm from Piper in the process.

"Mom's Mr Right, you mean?" Chris asked.

Phoebe and Paige exchanged a surprised look. "How do you know about that?" the latter asked.

"You gave me the other Chris's diaries, remember?"

"So he mentioned David in them, but not my… well…indiscretion," Paige trailed off, a trifle embarrassed.

Chris grinned. "I think he might have been a little bit more territorial over Mom," he pointed out. "I mean yes, he had his issues with Dad, but he sure as hell didn't want anyone else for a father. He was particularly disparaging over the 'fireman' whoever that was."

"Greg, you mean?" Phoebe said. "He was cute. Although, in relation to Leo…" She threw her brother-in-law a conciliatory smile, "There really was no comparison, I suppose."

"Thanks for the ringing endorsement," Leo said dryly.

"Come on, Leo – you know we love you," Phoebe said in a placating tone, "And besides, all's well that ends well…"

"We still lost him," Leo reminded her pointedly.

Picking up on the hint of reprimand in his tone, Phoebe's expression became stricken. "I know, I didn't mean… You know I didn't mean that."

"I know, I'm sorry," Leo replied soothingly. "It's just today would have never happened if it hadn't been for him." He looked gravely at his son. "And that's no reflection on you by the way," he said.

"It's okay, Dad, I know," Chris said, reaching out and squeezing his father's shoulder ad the Elder was overcome with a wave of unexpected emotion. He smiled gently at his Mom, who also had tears sparking in her eyes. "It's like you said before – you have three sons, right?"

"Right," Piper concurred softly, "All of whom are loved equally," she added, although it didn't really need saying because all three of her sons were - or had been - fully aware of the fact.

She sighed rather sadly and then bravely squared her shoulders and deliberately pushed aside her long-held grief. She knew in her heart-of-hearts that this is what her lost son would have wanted. He'd fought so hard for a better future. They were dishonouring his memory if they didn't live every last moment of it to the max. With that in mind, she led her family through the open front door and into the entrance hall, where Wyatt and Chloe were waiting at the foot of the staircase ready to take those ceremonial first steps along the twisting but ultimately rewarding road of married life.

Her eldest son grinned happily at her as she approached. "Hey Mom!" he said as he drew her into a warm hug.

"Hey you!" she returned affectionately. "Now, don't you go worrying about things here, all right?" she said as she stepped back. "We'll handle the Carolina situation for you."

"All right," Wyatt agreed, albeit with a degree of reluctance. "Make sure you call me if you need anything though."

"We'll be fine," she assured him, and then stood on her tiptoes and kissed him with loving affection. "I love you, sweetie. Now, go and enjoy your honeymoon or I might just have to ground you."

Wyatt chuckled. "I'll try my best," he promised her with a merry little twinkle in his eye. "And I love you too in case you didn't already know."

Piper kissed and hugged him again for good measure, then turned towards her new daughter-in-law and held out her hands in invitation. Chloe took them in hers, leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

"Thanks for everything, Piper," she said sincerely. "The whole day has been absolutely perfect."

"You're welcome, honey," Piper replied. "Although I really think it should be me thanking you…" She glanced over to where Wyatt was bidding a jovial farewell to other members of the family. "You've made my boy very happy."

"He makes it easy," Chloe said with a demure little blush.

Piper nodded. "It's still a lot to take on though," she said with reference to her son's magical destiny.

"Sometimes," Chloe admitted candidly, "But I happen to believe he's worth it, so…"

She left the statement hanging but there was no doubt as to her meaning. Piper smiled and hugged her with gratitude. "Welcome to the family, sweetie," she said, her voice vibrant with warm affection.

After she and Wyatt had finished saying their goodbyes to their respective families, Chloe retreated halfway up the stairs with her husband in tow, and brandished her bouquet with a dramatic flourish.

"Okay girls. Come and get it!" she called out.

There was general confusion and laughter as all the single women gathered at the foot of the staircase for the traditional bouquet scrum. Carefully noting all their positions, Chloe turned her back to them and took aim.

"A little to the left," Wyatt murmured under his breath to her.

She shot him a twinkling smile, closed her eyes, and then launched the flowers high up into the air to the tune of cheers from the throng below …

"Perfect!" Wyatt declared in satisfaction, and his wife turned to face him with a happy little whoop.

"And I believe _this_…" She paused for dramatic effect as she pulled back the hem of her skirt and revealed the frilly garter around her left thigh. "Is yours to distribute, my husband."

Wyatt grinned at her, knelt at her feet and ceremonially removed the garter amidst hooting catcalls and whistles from the watching guests. Standing back up, he placed the white lacy circlet in the centre of his upraised palm, pursed his lips and blew on it. The garter disappeared in a swirl of blue lights - but to where was anyone's guess.

Ignoring the resulting storm of protest from the expectant audience below, Wyatt reached out and pulled his wife into the circle of his arms. "Time to leave, I think," he told her firmly.

Chloe giggled as he rubbed his nose against hers in an affectionate Eskimo kiss. "Where'd you orb it?" she asked as she snuggled in closer to him and wrapped her arms tightly around his middle.

Wyatt grinned. "I'll tell you later," he promised, and then lowered his lips to hers and orbed them both out as they kissed…

**OOOOOO**

_**Much later, Emily's apartment…**_

Barefoot but still clad in her sapphire-blue bridesmaid's dress, Emily placed the bouquet of ivory flowers in the vase of water that she'd just brought in from the kitchen.

"She aimed for me deliberately, you know," she said to Chris as he came up behind her, wrapped his arms about her waist, and rested his chin on her bare shoulder.

"I know," he said, turning his head and trailing a series of gentle kisses up the side of her neck, his intentions clear - and distinctly on the dishonourable side.

"What I want to know though, is what the hell Wyatt did with that garter?" Emily continued conversationally, even as she arched her neck to encourage his ardent exploration.

Chris chuckled in her ear as he nuzzled affectionately at her temple, his lips warm and moist against her skin. "I think I have an idea," he said in a low, liquid tone of voice.

"You do?" Emily said, leaning back against him and coiling her arm around his neck. She turned her head so that she could look up into his face.

Never one to pass up the opportunity, Chris kissed her slowly and sensually. "Yep," he murmured when he finally lifted his mouth from hers.

His green eyes sparkling with merriment, he reached down and curled his fingers into the blue satin material of her dress, then slowly began to draw the skirt upwards, exposing her ankle, calf and knee and finally her lower thigh. Emily's mouth dropped open in indignation as she spotted the telltale item circling her left leg.

"I swear – I'm going to kill him!" she exclaimed as Chris began to laugh at his brother's impudence.

"It's not funny!" she admonished him crossly..

Still laughing, Chris span her around in his arms, pulled her close and silenced her with a dizzying kiss…

**OOOOOO**

**_Somewhere in the Underworld…_**

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?"

Heather looked at her sister rather dubiously, her eyes narrowed in concern.

"Yes." Carolina's nod of confirmation was emphatic. "This way they'll never find me."

"But what if…?"

"Don't 'what if' me, Heather. Please. You know what you have to do. Just stick to what we agreed and everything will be fine. I'll contact you when I'm ready."

Heather nodded. "Okay," she agreed somewhat reluctantly. She sighed. "I'm gonna miss you, you know."

"We don't have time for that kind of sentiment," Carolina said brusquely. "Once the wedding is over, those infernal Halliwells will be on our tail before we know it. We have to be prepared."

"All right, I know!" Heather said irritably. "I was just saying."

Carolina's hard-edged expression softened slightly. "I'm sorry. It's just this hasn't quite turned out how I envisaged." She paused for a moment and then a triumphant gleam entered her eye. "Although, in retrospect, that might just be a blessing in disguise…" she went on.

"How do you figure that?" Heather asked grumpily, her lips set in a sulky pout.

Carolina smiled; a smile full of evil promise. "Wait and see. I may just surprise you yet…" she said.

**_THE END_**

**_But to be continued in the sequel: 'A Rift in Time' coming to a website near you soon…_**

**OOOOOO**

**A/N2: Hey everybody, just a few more words from me and then I'll shut up! LOL!**

I have to admit it was a bit of a snap decision during the writing of this chapter to finish it here, so I hope the ending doesn't seem too abrupt. It was my original intention to end the story with Wyatt and Chloe's wedding, but I changed my mind later on because I thought there were a few too many loose ends to tie-up – the Carolina/Heather storyline being the main one. Trouble is, it was then difficult to give the story a proper ending, so I've decided to weave those loose ends into the storyline for the sequel instead!

As for the sequel: Please take a quick look at my profile page because it contains some important information about it and my other stories. Anyway, better get back to work on the much-neglected False Memories. Thanks again for taking the time and the trouble to read this story. Love to one and all.

CharmedBec x


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